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by Nadira Gunatilleke

A significant number of women's organisations have already raised a strong voice against on-going violence and discrimination against women. Several women have also raised their individual voices against the same. But still a significant improvement of the condition cannot be noticed.

What is the reason for this situation ? Even when there are enough women's groups to fight against above issues and there are several women who raise their voices against the same issues nothing has come out of their effort. Despite several protests, new legislations, Government and non Governmental Organisations sponsored projects and programs, still violence against women continue in Sri Lanka at a very high rate. Discrimination against women also takes place almost everywhere.

Although a number of persons have already spoken about this topic none of them has tried to discuss the main forces behind weakening different movements support to raise a voice for women. Individual women who tried to raise a strong voice against violence and discrimination are the most harassed group. Since women represent 53.8 percent of the total population of Sri Lanka and there are significant numbers of women headed households t in the country, special attention should be paid to this critical social issue.

One of the main weapons often use to weaken women's struggles is lesbianism. Every time a group of women get together to raise a voice for themselves, lesbian label is put on them. It seems in Sri Lanka a group of women cannot be formed like men's groups and organisations. This label is very often used by both males and females to weaken women.

The other method use by some segments of the society to harass women who raise their voice against violence and discrimination is their behaviour. It means that this segment always says that the women who raise their voices against above things have some sort of personal problem and that is why they act like that. When a woman raises her voice against an issue such as rape or the traditional method of testing virginity, some people whisper behind her back saying that she is a rape victim or she is not a virgin.

When an independent woman raises her voice against slavery or sexual harassment the same persons to say that she is having a mental problem. This label is also put on aggressive women very often. In Sinhala they say `Pissu Geniyek'. Invisible force has set a set of `rules and regulations' for local women and according to these `laws' local women have to keep their hair long and they have to keep their bodies hairless.

They should also be slim or skinny. They have to wear earrings just to show that they are `accepted women' and they should present themselves as weak and helpless! They should seek males' help even when they can do something themselves. This means that the women who possess strong personalities are unacceptable ! This inaccurate concept often uses to weaken women fighters.

The other famous weapon used to weaken women's voice is attacking their personal lives. This is another famous and powerful weapon. When a woman is involved in a women's group or she carries on individual campaigns against violence and discrimination, some persons starts to spread certain stories about her private life. Most of the time such stories are aimed at her family members, friends and relatives and also are far from the truth.

Sometimes the segments who do not approve women raising their voice against violence and discrimination create different types of mythical concepts that degrade such women. According to some of those concepts women who raise their voices against violence and discrimination always have some hidden intentions such as earning money through NGOs and winning a name in society (becoming a famous personality). It is true that some urban women's organisations do little work, somehow get big media coverage and obtain a lot of foreign funds but when it comes to individuals this is not true.

Several state institutions and NGOs have already implemented different programs on gender mainstreaming and improving the condition of girl child. A strong campaign was launched to prevent violence and discrimination against women. But unfortunately still there is no significant improvement in the situation. Still schoolgirls are being stabbed to death in the name of love while some grandfathers rape their granddaughters!.

Therefore special attention should be paid to strengthen women's struggle against violence and discrimination while taking immediate action to introduce relevant amendments to the existing laws enabling maximum punishment to the perpetrators. At present most of the state sponsored and NGO projects, programs are aimed at the wrong groups such as well educated and urbanised persons, women professionals, schoolchildren and public servants. Correct target groups such as rural males, middle-aged males and young boys are rarely identified.

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