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| Wednesday, 10 March 2004 |
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Gender Dialogue: Celebrate what? by Nadira Gunatilleke We celebrated International Women's Day 2004 day before yesterday. The theme was "Women's rights are human rights". Events were organised by both State and NGO organisations. All went home happily after conducting the events. But in Sri Lanka even law enforcement officers do not recognise and treat women's rights as human rights. When a married woman's rights are violated within her home the police misinterpret it as `family disputes' and ask women to ignore it without recording a formal complaint. Sometimes such married women's complaints are addressed to `Samatha Mandalas' (Mediation Boards) and the women are forced to tolerate husband's abuse. Some women's rights are violated within homes by way of domestic violence. But still in Sri Lanka domestic violence is not considered a crime and whenever a female victim of domestic violence turns up in a police station to make a formal complaint her requests are turned down and she is asked to compromise with the husband. But in developed countries the situation is far better than ours and there is temporary shelter, protection and legal aid available for such victims. Some sections of society say that women should not raise their voice for their rights and there is no need for an `International Women's Day' but they do not understand that women's rights are human rights. The problem is some women do not enjoy basic human rights. This is why they struggle and step onto roads with placards. They do not demand `special rights' or `women's rights'. They demand human rights. Why don't men demand `men's rights'? Most men enjoy almost all human rights. They are deprived of some human rights such as right to conduct processions, right to gather and the right to be informed only during emergency situations. Even on such occasions men step into roads and demand their rights stating that they demand human rights, not men's rights and they are correct. But whenever it comes to women, human rights become women's rights. The funniest thing is that even some women (who come from rich and Westernized families and have no idea about the pain that ordinary women undergo during their day-to-day life) say that Sri Lankan women do not have problems, there is no abuse and harassment. They do not need to fight for rights. Such rich women's worlds are full of make-up, dress making, fashion, cookery, love, raising children, house keeping and seducing men. They have no idea of abuse, harassment and pain that some women undergo during their day-to-day life while serving food for drunkan husbands, travelling by public transport services, working in factories, etc. Fighting for human rights is only just another income generating avenue for some rich women. Few years back the Government established a Women's Affairs Ministry' in Sri Lanka. Earlier `women's affairs' was attached to a relevant ministry. In the past, arrangements were made to amend the law to protect women and their rights. But unfortunately still in Sri Lanka some fathers rape their daughters. Some women cannot stay at home alone. Some cannot walk alone along a lonely road after 7.00 pm. Some cannot wear jewellery and walk along roads or travel in trains even during the day time. Sometimes she is forced to fulfil sexual desires of her superiors who are empowered to obtain them their due promotions. Still some men often rape women, kill them, hide their bodies and walk away from justice. Where is the power of those amended laws? Both men and women should understand that women's rights are human rights and women have the right to take action against those violating their rights. Relevant authorities should accept that women's rights are human rights and violation of those rights is a punishable offence. Women, mass media, NGOs, State institutions and all relevant parties should be instructed to use the word `human rights' whenever needed instead of `women's rights'. |
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