Only 4 per cent Lankan women represented in Parliament

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Women represent about 53 per cent of Sri Lanka’s total population. About 90 per cent of them can read and write.

The labour contribution of Sri Lankan women is 67 per cent. But still women’s representation in the Sri Lankan Parliament is only four per cent, Media Coordinator to the Minister of Child Development and Women’s Empowerment W.M.S. Wijekoon said.

Minister Jayasena had pointed out that women’s representation in the Sri Lankan Parliament has been increased only by 2.7 per cent from 1947 to 2004 which is a very unsatisfactory increase.

This increase is not adequate at all when considering the other countries in the region and the world, he said.

A request was made by all political party secretaries to give more representation for women at the 2006 Local Government Elections but the response was very poor and only 69 women were elected in that election which was only 11.72 per cent from the total number of members appointed countrywide.

Under Mahinda Chinthanaya it is proposed to increase women’s representation in nomination lists for Provincial Council Elections and Local Government Elections by 25 per cent.

The Child Development and Women’s Empowerment Ministry recently organised a special seminar for journalists to improve their knowledge on increasing Sri Lankan women’s representation in decision making.