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| Saturday, 9 August 2003 |
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Politics | |
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| Women's and children's rights strengthened - President by Nadira Gunatilleke It is not necessary to discuss `Giving prominence to women' in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party because it has already proven it by providing the first woman Prime Minister in the world and a woman President. Since the majority of the total population in Sri Lanka represent women, their representation in Parliament is not sufficient at all and it should be improved, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said. She was speaking at a leadership training workshop for women held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) yesterday. The President said that today Sri Lankan men and women get equal salaries. Still in some countries in the world pay less salaries to women than men. During the PA Government firm laws have been introduced to safeguard women and children. The PA Government set up the first National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) in the third world. But the Government has cut down all funds allocated for the NCPA forcing it to halt its operations. At present the President's Fund provides funds for the NCPA. The PA Government has done a significant service to the country during its regime. When the PA came into power Sri Lanka held the world record for highest number of suicides and liquor addiction. During PA regime Sri Lanka became the ninth country in the world with high rate of suicides and liquor addiction of the people was also went down rapidly. The mechanism set up by the PA Government to control liquor addiction still exists but it is inactive now. There are well-trained Samurdhi animators who did this task. Women are capable of coming forward to give life to this mechanism, she said. About 22,000 soldiers died during the North-East war and 12,000 soldiers became disabled. The Rana Viru Seva Authority (RVSA) set up by the PA Government continuously serves these brave soldiers who sacrificed their valuable lives to safeguard the country. Women can come forward and serve these war heroes, she stressed. |
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