Women in politics:

Companions on a mission

Ishara JAYAWARDANE

South Asia Partnership International (SAPI) in collaboration with South Asia partnership Sri Lanka (SAPSRI) seeks to promote a collective effort to reduce violence against women in politics.

She is a daughter, she is a mother, she is a wife, she is a friend and she is a woman.

Political leaders of South Asia

Therefore it is vital that violence against politics is addressed.

Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWIP) is the form of discrimination, intimidation, character assassination and threats are a common problems faced throughout the globe and mostly in South Asia.

Our (SAPSRI) objective is to promote women (in local government)to prevent violence against women in politics. SAPSRI and SAPI have done a lot of research which has shown that one of the main reasons for women not participating in governance is violence.

South Asia Partnership Network comprises of five national member organizations based in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

This attempt is made by six countries. They are trying to reduce violence against women in politics. So they can get into politics so there will be more participation of women in politics said Executive Director SAP, Dr. Padma Ratnayake.

Dr. Ratnayake also stated that this is a collaborative effort of five countries coordinated by South Asian Partnership International. Afghanistan in not a member of SAP. However Afghanistan has been included and there will be a representative from Afghanistan.

The purpose is to reduce violence against women, so more women will come into politics. There will be some level of equality and justice. At the moment there is no justice. In Sri Lanka 52% of the population are women but there are only 12 women in parliament. That is about 4% of all in parliament. We feel that we have to do something about it. It is better than other countries in Asia. Sri Lanka is the worst hit said Dr. Ratnayake.

SAPSRI is a not for profit, development organization that works towards creating a closely linked network of peoples organizations capable of undertaking, sustainable, self reliant methods of development.

SAPI is a south based, South led international NGO. As the coordinating body of South Asia Partnership Network SAPI facilitates solidarity between other community based organizations and issue based networks within South Asia.