Ceylon Today Editorial

Economic context issues women face

08 March 2017

International Women's Day 2017 is celebrated on 8 March on the theme "Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030". This explores the issues faced by women in the economic context in a globalized setting. Exactly one year ago on this day, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Harsha de Silva was invited as a guest speaker for a Women's Day celebratory event.

During his speech, he stated that 65% of women are eligible to work, yet choose not to do so, and added that more women go on to achieve a higher education. He raised the question as to whether it is necessary to provide higher education, if women are not willing to work and make an economic return from the education they have garnered.

Although, Dr. de Silva was emphasizing the need to encourage women to reach their highest potential career wise, the matter of women's lack of contribution to the economy cannot be ignored. First and foremost, it is important to understand that Sri Lankan women are the most educated in Asia, but their contribution to the economy is merely 33.4%.

Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey (LFS) done in the first quarter of 2015, showed that 3,274,026 women reflected by 36.7% were economically active, as opposed to men in the same category amounting to 5,650,690 reflected by 63.3%. On the other hand, 1,997,581 reflected by 25.9% were economically inactive as opposed to 5,726,514 women reflected by 74.1%. These statistics show a great margin between women's economic contribution as opposed to men.

However, when these statistics are analyzed more critically it can be said that although Sri Lanka has more educated women, their contribution to the economy is not measured in fiscal terms. As such their contribution is not valued. It is evident that these women fall in to the category of unpaid workers.

However, in Sri Lanka for women to achieve economic empowerment is nothing but a distant pipedream. Achieving multifaceted empowerment is essential to successfully achieve economic environment. Recently a nationwide study commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) it was revealed that 90 per cent of women and girls in Sri Lanka have been victim to sexual harassment on public buses and trains. The study indicated that only four per cent reported these incidents to the Police.

Sexual harassment, in public places, workplaces and universities is rampant; can only be curtailed through effective legal safeguards. What can be ascertained by the UNPF study is that women do not have faith in the justice system or the Police. This is also a reason for the economic failure of women. In a pragmatic setting, most Sri Lankan women use public transport to reach their work places. There are many women who had quit their jobs so that they can escape the harassment they face in public transport.

World Bank Group's Women, Business and the Law 2016 report in a study on women's employment and entrepreneurship revealed that discrimination against females in Sri Lanka is persistent. It is an empty consolation to note that it is not as bad as in other South Asian economies as reflected in the report. Legal discrimination, which can affect female labour force participation, is also prevalent in Sri Lanka. Women are prohibited from working in the mining sector and restricted from certain tasks and functions in factories, the report indicated, and observed that there are no laws against gender-based discrimination in hiring or access to credit.

This report also analyzes the manner in which laws, regulations and institutions differentiate between women and men in ways that affect women's incentives, capacity to work or to set up and operate a business.

In the light of above, it is imperative to revisit President Sirisena's pledge to women which refers to curbing violence and sexual harassment, which promises to, create an effective system of law enforcement that addresses the mounting sexual offences – including rape, sexual abuse and harassment – against both women and children regardless of the perpetrators' influence, position or political power.

In 2016, Verité indicated that the government did not make any progress with regard to implementing legal safeguards to women in order to ensure a safer environment for them to live in. However, Sri Lanka has taken part in many conferences pertaining to women and violence. In March last year, Minister of Women and Child Affairs Chandrani Bandara attended a bilateral meeting between US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, US Department of State, Catherine Russell and Chandrani Bandara took place on 17 March 2016 at the Sri Lanka Mission premises in New York, on the sidelines of the sixtieth Commission for the Status of Women, where matters of mutual interest, including the empowerment of women and girls were discussed.

Last November a National Action Plan to address Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) was officially launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This National Action Plan was developed on the vision of creating 'a violence free life for women and children' with Zero Tolerance for Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Sri Lanka. This is rendered important as it was devised using a multi-sectoral approach with engagement from key ministries representing nine sectors. The National Action Plan is also part of a project under the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, supported by UNDP's Strengthening Enforcement of Law, Access to Justice and Social Integration (SELAJSI) Programme.

These aspects, at present remain the only elements of progress pertaining to President Sirisena's pledge to create law enforcement to prevent sexual violence.

To date, not a single legislative measure or policy has been introduced in order to reinforce legal safeguards to protect women.

The trials and tribulations a woman faces in society imbibed with patriarchy is horrendous. How can a woman be economically empowered if her place of work is not a conducive environment to work in?

Daily News Editorial

The rise of women

08 March 2017

Today, women all over the world celebrate the International Women’s Day (IWD), a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. IWD has been formally celebrated by the UN and countries around the world since March 8, 1975, which was the International Year of Women, although its roots can be traced to 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding voting rights, better pay and shorter working hours. March 8 is an official holiday in more than 25 countries.

The Charter of the United Nations, signed in 1945, was the first international agreement to affirm the principle of equality between women and men. Since then, the UN has helped create a historic legacy of internationally-agreed strategies, standards, programmes and goals to advance the status of women worldwide. The UN defines IWD as “a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.”

This year’s theme of IWD is “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”. The idea of this theme is to consider how to accelerate the 2030 building momentum for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals, especially goal number 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls and number 4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning. The theme will also focus on new commitments under UN Step it Up Initiative and other commitments on gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights.

Key targets of the 2030 Agenda include: By 2030, ensure that all girls (and boys) complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and Goal-4 effective learning outcomes; By 2030, ensure that all girls have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education; End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere; Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation; Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

The world of work is changing, and with significant implications for women. A large number of women are working in all sectors, but in both developed and developing countries women get lower salaries or wages compared to their male counterparts. There are only a few Government or commercial entities that have truly achieved a 50:50 male to female ratio in terms of employee numbers. The reference to Planet 50:50 is a nod to that ambition which has to be achieved by 2030, now less than 15 years away. But it won’t be easy – the World Economic Forum predicts that the gender pay gap will not close until 2186.

Apart from the pay gap, there is increased focus on gender equality and the empowerment of women. Sri Lanka is one of the few developing countries with impressive statistics on girls and women, with virtually zero discrimination on the education of girls. Indices such as maternal mortality are almost on par with those of the developed world. Sri Lanka also has the distinction of producing the world’s first woman Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, whose daughter Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was also elected Executive President.

Yet, the number of women in local politics in Sri Lanka is extremely low even by South Asian standards. The prevailing electoral system has been partly been blamed for this situation and we hope the new Constitution will grant a better place for women in politics. Sexual and physical violence against girls and women is a major issue in Sri Lanka – in fact, a recent nationwide study commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) revealed that 90 percent of women and girls in Sri Lanka have been subjected to sexual harassment on public buses and trains with only four percent seeking help from the Police. UNFPA in partnership with the Ministry of Women’s and Child Affairs, Ministry of Transport Civil Aviation, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Sri Lanka Police, launched a public advocacy campaign titled ‘Does she travel safe?’.

Equal attention should be paid to domestic violence, both physical and sexual. It is a known fact that perpetrators of such violence are almost always known to the victim – either a relative or guardian, not a total stranger. This is a black mark on our society and culture and steps should be taken to purge such violence from our midst.

There is a long way to go before we can say that women have been truly empowered all over the world, yet progress is being made on many fronts. Women have shattered the “glass ceiling” in many sectors and have equalled or even exceeded the achievements of their male counterparts. This IWD is likely to be a catalyst for further progress on these lines.

The Island Editorial

‘Henahura landing in a beggar’s bowl’

08 March 2017

 

The Treasury bond scams, currently being probed by a presidential commission, have had a devastating impact on the entire country. The private sector workers are the worst affected. Their superannuation fund or the EPF (Employees’ Provident Fund) had suffered a staggering loss of Rs. 15 bn, the JVP said on Monday. The Marxist outfit demanded that the loss be recovered forthwith from the bond racketeers. Economists and financial experts are also agreed on the amount the EPF has lost.

Private sector workers are left with only the EPF refunds, upon retirement, to tide them over till they go the way of all flesh. The bond racketeers have amassed wealth at the expense of the hapless workers. It is a case of evil-causing ‘Saturn or henahura landing in a beggar’s bowl’ as a local saying goes. Strangely, trade unions have remained silent. Their silence is baffling. They usually take to the streets at the drop of a hat. Is it that they have also sold their souls to the bond thieves?

The JVP may try to take the moral high ground, but it can’t absolve itself of the responsibility for this sorry state of affairs. It was instrumental in bringing about the 2015 regime change and facilitating the formation of the 100-day government. The yahapalana grandees who had been reduced to penury due to their prolonged stay in the Opposition amassed wealth within the first few weeks of capturing power the way Asela Gunaratne blasted sixes and fours in the last two overs of a T-20 match in Geelong last month! The JVP leader was made a member of the so-called National Executive Council (NEC), which virtually governed the country between January and August in 2015.

The JVP, which joined other NEC members in having some of the former UPFA ministers arrested and prosecuted, did not call for action against the then Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran and his political bosses. It also craftily omitted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s name from the bond scams report prepared by the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) under its MP Sunil Handunnetti’s chairmanship. The Rathu Sahodarayas are also notorious for bowling full tosses, as it were, to UNP ministers in Parliament so that the latter can vilify their opponents.

The JVP prides itself on its role in electing President Maithripala Sirisena. It, no doubt, carried out an effective propaganda campaign against the Rajapaksa government. Within months of his election, their hero, Sirisena, unflinchingly shielded the bond thieves in 2015 by dissolving Parliament before a COPE report was tabled in the House so as to prevent public opinion from turning against the UNP before the general election in that year. President Sirisena, while pontificating on the virtues of good governance, acted out of expediency to help the UNP win as he wanted to ruin Mahinda Rajapaksa’s chances of becoming the Prime Minister.

It is to atone for his sin and tame the UNP, which is becoming increasingly defiant, that President Sirisena has set up a presidential commission to probe the bond scam. He should be asked why he did not do so in 2015 itself.

The yahapalana government made a budget proposal in 2015 that the EPF be removed from the Central Bank supervision and merged with the Employee’s Trust Fund (ETF). We stressed the need for defeating the government move for the sake of the working class. The Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration wanted to dip into the workers’ fund and found the Central Bank an obstacle in its path. The Rajapaksa government also sought to introduce a private sector pension scheme at the expense of the EPF with an ulterior motive, but in vain.

Workers must sink their political differences and join forces to protect their superannuation fund and have the losses it has suffered owing to the bond scams recovered. They must tell their trade union leaders to fight for their rights or depart.