Her work is never done
AMONG many things that have grown since we gained independence is the
female population. Statistics show that women constitute about 53
percent of the total population in the country, gradually outnumbering
men since 1953 when women made up only 48 percent.
Key socio economic indicators such as the literacy rate would show
that women not only grew in numbers but have improved their lives when
it comes to education, health and employment.
So, one may assume that women in Sri Lanka have enough reason to
celebrate rather than to protest on the 8th of March, the day dedicated
to women globally.
The theme of this year's International Women's Day is the role of
women in decision-making. "Women's empowerment and their full
participation on the basis of equality in all spheres of society,
including participation in the decision making process and access to
power, are fundamental for the achievement of equality, development and
peace," the Secretary General of the United Nations said recently.
So, our women can be proud of themselves as Sri Lanka has produced
two women who led the decision making process since independence.
Does that mean our women have gained equality in all spheres of
society. May be some fortunate women have but not the majority,
specially those who are poor.
What have we got to learn from the history of international women's
movement. International Women's Day first emerged from the activities of
labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America
and across Europe.
In 1909 the first National Women's Day was observed in the US on
February 28. The Socialist Party of America designated this day in
honour of the 1908 garment workers' strike in New York where women
protested against working conditions.
It is true that America has not been able to produce a lady President
so far. But the garment workers in Sri Lanka who are not so fortunate
enough to form their trade unions can learn from that event in America
how to influence the decision-making process to win their rights.
The fact that the girls who work in garment factories are discouraged
from exercising a basic labour right is a good example that they don't
enjoy equality.
A recent International Labour Organisation (ILO) study said that the
number of female domestic servants is increasing in some countries.
All the governments in Sri Lanka since 1977 have only encouraged our
women to go abroad and work as domestic servants under harsh working
conditions.
Had there been equal opportunities for women to have access to better
jobs locally many of them would not have chosen to work under such
conditions.
Due to cultural reasons women in South India used to live in
appalling conditions. It was that social inequality that was exploited
by colonial rulers when they brought thousands of poor women to work in
tea plantations here.
Today, they are among the minimum wage earners in Sri Lanka. They do
not even have the equal opportunity of drinking the best quality tea
made out of leaves they pluck.
Apparel, tea and foreign employment are major income earners for Sri
Lanka. Women constitute the majority of the labor force in these sectors
but their income is at the lowest level.
This clearly show that our women are far from achieving the
objectives highlighted by this year's theme for the International
Women's Day. The failure to achieve that is equally disadvantageous for
men too.
The UN Secretary General said in his message for last year's women's
Day: "Study after study has taught us that there is no tool for
development more effective than the empowerment of women. No other
policy is likely to raise economic productivity.
Whatever, the very real benefits of investing in women, the most
important fact is women themselves have the right to live in dignity in
freedom of want and fear." |