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by Nadira Gunatilleke

We celebrated International Women's Day for 89 years continuously but all 365 days of the year belong to women. Last year we celebrated this day with several proposals that aimed at increasing women's participation in politics. Up to now about 75 percent of those proposals have been accomplished. During the coming years women's representation in politics will be increased by 25 percent, said Women's Affairs Minister Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake.

She was speaking at the International Women's Day celebration held at the BMICH, Colombo on Saturday. Minister Ratnayake said that today 55 percent of the total number of students in the Law College and 60 percent of the total number of undergraduates in the Medical College are females and the Government is not ready to prevent women from joining certain fields of employment because of their gender.

Society does not listen to her appeals and domestic violence is increasing rapidly. The women are being subjected to sexual and all types of abuse. Under this condition she will not be able to bring her children up in a proper manner because of weak mental condition. `Diri Piyasa' centres will help her to overcome this problem, she said.

Buddhasasana, Justice, Law Reform and National Integration Minister W.J.M. Lokubandara said that if women in the world have some sort of organising strength it should be directed towards achieving peace. Women should be given a suitable place in the society and today we have climbed up to a higher position in the society because of advice given by our mothers.

Today women's representation in politics is very low and I believe that it should become at least 50 percent in the future, the Minister said. Rural Economy Minister and Finance Deputy Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that housewives made one third of contribution towards the country's development but still their work does not count and not included in GDP.

Prof. Savithri Gunasekara also spoke. Cultural items were presented by students of Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo, Hindu Ladies College, Colombo, Muslim Ladies College and Gnanodya Central College, Wariyapola. Members of the Seva Vanitha Movement, representatives from armed forces, police, nursing profession were present.

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