Category: State and Politics

Advancing Democracy: Proposals for Electoral Reform in Sri Lanka by the Women and Media Collective

On the 29th of January 2024, Ms Kumuduni Samuel, Director Programmes on behalf of the Women and Media Collective, submitted recommendations focus on the electoral system reform, with a special emphasis on increasing women’s representation, and broader electoral reforms for a more democratic political culture to the Presidential Secretariat. The recommendations were made through extensive … Continue reading Advancing Democracy: Proposals for Electoral Reform in Sri Lanka by the Women and Media Collective

Empowering Women Leaders: A Cross-Cultural Study Visit to Kerala’s Panchayat System

The Women and Media Collective facilitated a field visit of 24 former women local councilors and women community leaders to the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) and Panchayats in Thrissur, Kerala from the 22nd to the 24th of January 2024. The women were from the districts of Kurunegala, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Batticaloa, Killinochchi, Mannar and … Continue reading Empowering Women Leaders: A Cross-Cultural Study Visit to Kerala’s Panchayat System

Empowering Women’s Rights Advocates through CEDAW and Macroeconomics: A Five-Day Workshop

In the realm of women’s rights and gender equality, there is an ongoing battle to challenge the status quo, particularly when it comes to the economic policies that have often led to the violation of women’s human rights. In this pursuit, the Women and Media Collective (WMC) and the International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia … Continue reading Empowering Women’s Rights Advocates through CEDAW and Macroeconomics: A Five-Day Workshop

𝗪𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗢𝗪𝗘! 𝗪𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗬! – 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗿𝗶 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀

PRESS RELEASE 11 August 2023 Colombo, Sri Lanka 𝗪𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗢𝗪𝗘! 𝗪𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗬! 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗿𝗶 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 Women’s rights groups in Sri Lanka reject the current debt restructuring solutions that place the burden of repayment on Sri Lanka’s working classes, particularly its women. … Continue reading 𝗪𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗢𝗪𝗘! 𝗪𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗬! – 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗿𝗶 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀

Sri Lankan Civil Society condemns Muslim MPS attempt to derail MMDA Reforms – Statement

In a historic move, over 145 civil society personalities including academics, professionals and human rights advocates and over 44 organizations, declare their support for Sri Lankan Muslim women and girls agitating for long years for reforms to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce (MMDA). Solidarity for Muslim women victims and activists is an open acknowledgment of … Continue reading Sri Lankan Civil Society condemns Muslim MPS attempt to derail MMDA Reforms – Statement

OPEN CALL – TOT Sessions CEDAW and Macroeconomics: Advancing Gender Equality through Feminist, Human Rights-Based Economic Advocacy.

The Women & Media Collective (WMC) and International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW AP) will be co-hosting a training of trainers (ToT), entitled CEDAW and Macroeconomics: Advancing Gender Equality through Feminist, Human Rights-Based Economic Advocacy. The ToT is a three-day in-person gathering in Negombo, scheduled for 5-7 July 2023. The training sessions will be conducted in English … Continue reading OPEN CALL – TOT Sessions CEDAW and Macroeconomics: Advancing Gender Equality through Feminist, Human Rights-Based Economic Advocacy.

XXV South Asian Feminist Capacity Building Course on Gender, Sustainable Livelihoods, Human Rights and Peace in Kathmandu, Nepal

The South Asian Feminist Capacity Building Course on Gender, Sustainable Livelihoods, Human Rights and Peace, also known as the Sangat Month Long Course, is designed to offer clarity on and a greater understanding of concepts related to gender, justice, poverty, sustainable development, peace, democracy, and human rights. The course was founded in 1984. Thus far, … Continue reading XXV South Asian Feminist Capacity Building Course on Gender, Sustainable Livelihoods, Human Rights and Peace in Kathmandu, Nepal

RECOGNIZING, REDUCING AND REDISTRIBUTING WOMEN’S UNPAID CARE WORK IN SRI LANKA

The Women and Media Collective held a Policy Dialogue on Unpaid Care Work on 31st March 2023 at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo from 9 am to 1.00 pm Economic development, expanding production, trade and services has undoubtedly brought more women into the labour force in Sri Lanka, albeit slowly. However, there is a marked … Continue reading RECOGNIZING, REDUCING AND REDISTRIBUTING WOMEN’S UNPAID CARE WORK IN SRI LANKA

Press release – Women for Democratic Struggles

Women for Democratic Struggles, a coalition of women’s groups held a press briefing yesterday and called for the government to recognize the demands made by the Aragalaya for systematic/structural change, including the abolition of the executive presidency, more involvement of the people, including women and youth in democratic decision making, through the implementation of a … Continue reading Press release – Women for Democratic Struggles

Urgent plea by Sri Lankan feminists to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis caused by the economic collapse in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is facing the worst economic crisis in its post-independence history. Widespread food and fuel shortages are crippling the lives of people. Such a situation that has already lasted several weeks is now resulting in widespread protests which are being repressed violently. We anticipate escalating violence in the context of the spread of peaceful … Continue reading Urgent plea by Sri Lankan feminists to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis caused by the economic collapse in Sri Lanka