The young, the old and Human
Rights
By a fitting coincidence, the international focus is
falling on Sri Lanka’s achievements in the Human Rights sphere
at a time when the welfare of children and the elderly is being
stressed by the world too. It is our hope that the special
significance attached to October 1 as World Children and Elders’
Day would not be lost sight of once the relevant routine
commemorative events are held.
The coming together of these events enables us to take stock
of what we have achieved or not achieved by way of empowering
those considered weak by many, such as, women, children and the
elderly.
Former AG and Sri Lanka’s representative to the UN Mohan
Peiris was quoted by us yesterday as saying that the
international community is increasingly impressed with Sri
Lanka’s achievements on the Human Rights front, and that too at
a time when the Universal Periodic Review on Sri Lanka by the
UNHRC is round the corner.
This is welcome news and we earnestly hope that indefatigable
efforts would be exerted by the state to impress on the world
that concrete progress is being made by Sri Lanka towards
fulfilling her international obligations as regards Rights.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating and Sri Lanka would
need to make substantial progress in empowering those who are
considered weakest among us, besides making advancements on
other fronts, to provide the world with clinching evidence that
Human Rights are being increasingly realized locally.
Over the past couple of months or so, the violence unleashed
on women and children locally seems to have declined, but the
observer could be wrong on this score, provided his impressions
are backed by statistical and well documented evidence. Maybe,
institutions, such as, the relevant Ministry overlooking women
and children’s affairs and National Child Protection Authority
could help to put the record straight. Ideally, these
organizations should every now and then keep the public informed
about the progress that is being made as regards the realization
of the Rights of women and children.
No less a person than President Mahinda Rajapaksa is on
record that it would be his endeavour never to compromise the
institution of free education in this country and this augurs
well for the welfare of this country’s children, because
education is an important means of empowerment.
In this connection we would like to emphasize that the state
should go ahead steadily with its project to establish as many
National Schools as possible in the country, to ensure that no
child is denied the opportunity of acquiring a quality
education.
While one could be glad that women’s Rights are continuing to
be in focus, we hope that much more substantive progress would
be made in the direction of women’s empowerment. Although the
situation has improved somewhat over the past couple of months,
violence against women is continuing and there is apparently a
need to stringently further enforce the law to make the country
an absolutely safe place for vulnerable women.
Besides, women’s Rights organizations need to be more
proactive and articulate on the issue of women’s empowerment.
One of the tragedies of the times is that there seems to be
little readiness among those who ought to be concerned, to take
up the cause of women’s welfare.
The need is also great to further enhance the welfare of our
elders. It is now well known that the elderly segment of the
local population is well on the rise, but the material as well
emotional security of our elders cannot be absolutely guaranteed
amid a plethora of rising uncertainties. Chief among these is
financial insecurity.
Not all children can afford to fend for their parents and
elders and this factor should be focused on in the days ahead.
The state should seek to further strengthen institutional
support for the old and this must be viewed as a national
priority. |