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by Nadira Gunatilleke

The Diri Piyasa for the welfare of women announced by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during the General Election campaign will be implemented to the letter while special emphasis will be laid on 

New Women’s Affairs Minister Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake explains her future plans for betterment of women. Picture By Sanjeewa Kellapotha

solving the problems of working women, said the new Women's Affairs Minister Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake elaborating her Ministry's future program of work during an interview with the Daily News last weekend.

Minister Ratnayake was a trained school teacher and entered into politics in 1977 after the assassination of her husband Wimalarathne Bandara.

Question: What will be the new program of work of the Women's Affairs Ministry?

Answer: The entire program of the Women's Affairs Ministry will be based on "Diri Piyasa", the new program announced by the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for the welfare of women. Accordingly a council of 50 women, eminent in various fields will be appointed. The members of this council will include doctors, lawyers, educationists, administrators, artistes and all the other professionals working for the welfare of the nation. Later sub committees will be appointed at District and electorate levels.

Q: What will be the composition of these sub committees?

A: Sub committees to be set up at electorate level will consist of five leading women including an Attorney-at-Law, a Doctor and a Woman Police Constable. 

Q: Can you explain how you intend to handle these different programs, implemented through Women's Affairs Ministry?

A: Smooth coordination with the relevant Ministries will be the core factor in implementing these programs. We will try to address all issues confronted by women. For example, sensible solutions would be found and solved. Problems faced by housemaids employed abroad, problems confronted by working girls in the Free Trade Zones, war widows and women who are sole breadwinners of their families will also be looked into. A female as Deputy Commissioner of Women's Affairs will be appointed to look into the plight of abused and harassed women.

Q: Are you satisfied with the percentage of women representation in Parliament?

A: No, not at all. It is just about four percent only. I will lobby for an increase of women's representation in the field of politics in the near future, starting from Pradesheeya Sabha level.

Q: Will justice be done to victims of violence as against women?

A: Efforts in this regard are already in progress. For example, a lady who took part in election propaganda activities during the Wayamba Provincial Council Elections, was stripped and forced to walk naked on the road in public. Now a court case is in progress at Kurunegala in this connection.

The party office will look into the problems of female victims of election violence too.

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