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Diri Piyasa centres to cater to women's problems

by Nadira Gunatilleke

Diri Piyasa launched by the Government to assist women has completed one successful year and it will continue to serve the female community of Sri Lanka which is estimated 53.8 percent of the total population free, Women's Affairs Minister Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake said.

She was speaking at the first Anniversary celebration of the Diri Piyasa held at its Head Office, Colombo 5 recently. The Minister said that violence against women and harassing them has become normal and sometimes even the police consider domestic violence as normal. This will create an unhealthy society in the future.

Diri Piyasa provides free service to all women in any part of the country. " We will implement a special programme soon to prevent women being subjected to violence and abuse", the Minister said.

Director General Diri Piyasa Kanthi Kannangara said that at present six Diri Piyasa centres operate countrywide and so far these centres have successfully handled over 1,200 problems brought by women.

"Now more and more males seek help from Diri Piyasa centres. We brought forward some important court cases which were filed by women but were swept under the carpet", she added.

Expressing their views on the Diri Piyasa programme counsellors attached to Diri Piyasa centres said that they handle all sorts of problems brought to them and also conducts awareness raising programmes for the public.

They also said that the job satisfaction is more important to them than the salary because of the confidence placed on them by their clients and the appreciation of their service. A lady doctor, a female attorney-at-law, a female counselling officer and a especially trained WPC will be attached to all these Diri Piyasa centres.

These centres offer several services for women including solutions for their mental and physical problems, medical and legal advice for sexually harassed women and for women who have problems at their work places. Arrangements will also be made to protect women's human rights through these centres.

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