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Empowering Lanka's women

The close relationship which exists between poverty issues and the empowerment of women was highlighted in a move by some one thousand women from Moneragala to conduct a demonstration in the heart of Colombo over land rights, along with other women's groups, and to hand over a signed petition, outlining their grievances, to the Lands Minister.

It was an illuminating reminder of the impossibility of separating the struggle for women's emancipation from the wider battle for freedom from hunger and poverty on the part of the economically and socially marginalized sections.

We are also reminded of the holistic nature of the development process. The struggle for socio-economic advancement couldn't be divorced from the campaign for human development in all its aspects. In an equal society, in other words, where every man, woman and child will be recipients of the fruits of development, the empowerment of women will follow as a matter of course.

This, however, is a long-term objective which needs to be striven for in doughty fashion. It is an aim which is being achieved in some countries in gradual incremental stages. This is a long journey which is facilitated by people-friendly, progressive governments, walking hand-in-hand with women's organisations and other political actors which are desirous of ushering in humane societies.

It is our wish that the Government would place women's empowerment high on its domestic agenda. It has done well to allocate a separate ministry for women's affairs, but the mere establishment of the institutional machinery is unlikely to advance the aims of the country's women.

There ought to be consistent collaboration between the State and women's organizations if progress is to be made along the path of women's emancipation. We need a clearly defined program of action which would advance the aims of Lanka's women and which would be realised in consistent fashion through close cooperation between governmental agencies and women's groups.

Yesterday, of course, was International Women's Day and the country witnessed some of the ritual trappings which usher it in. However, sad to say, we do not hear much of the campaign to empower women, during the rest of the year. This is a serious shortcoming which should be rectified by local women's organisations.

It is up to the latter to ensure that their cause remains vibrantly alive in the public mind. Campaigning on women's issues should be a continuing process and governments should be constantly reminded of their obligation to initiate positive, concrete action to empower Lanka's women.

Political representation of women, for instance, is an issue which women's groups should consistently campaign on. Very little progress has been made on this issue thus far, but we hope the next elections will see more women candidates in the fray. Ideally, the allocation of a substantial number of seats for women, at all levels of government, should be a statutory requirement. This is one issue over which women's groups should campaign effectively and tirelessly.

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