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Women's Affairs Ministry to help pregnant women prisoners, childrn

by Nadira Gunatilleke

The Women's Affairs Ministry will upgrade the living conditions of infants, children and pregnant mothers in the Welikada prison. Legal consultation and financial assistance will also be provided to the female prisoners who are being held in prison due to uncompleted paper work, Women's Affairs Minister Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake said.

She was addressing media personnel at the Welikada prison to cover her visit recently. The Minister said assistance will be provided within the existing legal frame. While providing assistance, special attention will be paid to the females who are being imprisoned for the first time for minor offences, those who do not have family members, relatives, friends or NGOs to obtain assistance and the female prisoners who are being imprisoned due to handicaps. This project will be a big relief for the Government because it reduces the cost of maintenance. The women who have been imprisoned for major offences and offences related to drugs will not be assisted under this project.

The Minister also promised to find a good market for the handlooms produced by female prisoners. She also promised to provide trainers to provide training to the female prisoners in order to prepare them for self employment once they are released.

A member, Effective Women's Association, Ms.Seetha Wickremesinghe said that arrangements will be made to provide free legal assistance and financial assistance to the needy female prisoners with the help of donors.

There were 313 female prisoners in the Welikada Prison including ten children, one Chinese National and three Indians. About 40 percent of prisoners are being imprisoned for drug-related offences. The total number of staff is 101. According to the staff members, the number of staff is not adequate to carry out on duties. "We are treated very badly whenever we take female prisoners to the Colombo General Hospital for treatment. The relevant authorities do not bother to provide us even a chair to sit", they said.

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