This book launched on the 30th of January 2016, provides a ‘thick description’ of the references made to women in Parliament. In this regard, it is different to other attempts at quantifying Parliamentary discourses around women1, adopting instead a qualitative approach. While recognizing the value of quantitative research, the aim of this volume is to … Continue reading Parliament’s Representation of Women: A Selective Review of Sri Lanka’s Hansards from 2005-2014

The Women and Media Collective organised a round of discussion on the new constitution making process and to see the possibilities where women’s groups can intervene. The Discussions were conducted in Batticaloa , Kurunegala and Colombo with the participation of women activists, civil society organization members, women affiliated to political parties, Trade union women and … Continue reading Women’s contribution to the new constitution making process

Source: The Sunday Leader At a time when the Prime Minster has assured that women’s representation in the local government level will be increased by giving nomination to women up to 25%, some political parties keep complaining about women not coming forward and women not being capable enough to engage in politics and secure votes. … Continue reading Call for more women in parliament – The Sunday Leader

Source: The Sunday Times A total of 556 female candidates from 21 political parties and independent groups contested the general elections but only 11 of them won seats. That is a drop of two female members from the previous 225-seat parliament that already under-represented the 52 per cent-strong female population. These 11 women represent only … Continue reading 11 women MPs a poor result for electoral reform say activists – The Sunday Times

The Women and Media Collective together with other women’s organisations have been campaigning to increase the representation of women at local, provincial and national level for over 15 years. The current electoral reform process, which is a measure to strengthen representative democracy, should provide an opportunity to increase women’s representation in the Parliament of Sri … Continue reading Discussion on the 20th Amendment to the constitution with CAFFE, Sri Lanka

RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY WOMEN’S GROUPS TO THE 20TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION Women in Sri Lanka have had the right to vote from as early as 1931, but very little opportunity to become the people’s elected political representatives—in either Parliament or in Provincial or Local Government. This fact has been highlighted worldwide … Continue reading Political Representation of Women: Ensuring 25% Increase

Sri Lanka’s Trade Union women leaders are a driving force in the lives of working women due to the constant trials and struggles encountered in the workplace. Marred by gender discrimination and sometimes violence women in the past have had to step forward and speak up for their rights. This led to the emergence of … Continue reading Film: Determining Futures, women in Trade Unions in Sri Lanka

A consultation with Kare Vollan, an expert on electoral reforms, was held yesterday to discuss the prospects of increasing political representation of women in parliament in the current context of constitutional and electoral reforms. For the first time the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe has proposed reforms that will ensure a substantive increase … Continue reading Increasing women’s political representation: a discussion on current reforms

The Action Network for Migrant Workers (ACTFORM) met with the newly appointed Minister of Foreign Employment, Thalatha Athukorala to discuss the current status of women migrant workers and the measures that need to be taken to further improve their status at home and abroad. This was the first meeting between Sri Lanka’s ACTFORM network and … Continue reading ACTFORM meets Minister of Foreign Employment, Thalatha Athukorala