{"id":25326,"date":"2025-02-25T06:08:03","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T06:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/womenandmedia.org\/?p=25326"},"modified":"2025-03-25T06:18:24","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T06:18:24","slug":"statement-against-online-offline-harassment-of-women-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/womenandmedia.org\/si\/statement-against-online-offline-harassment-of-women-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"Advocating for Women&#8217;s Rights: WMC at the CEDAW Sri Lanka Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"25326\" class=\"elementor elementor-25326\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b028584 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4b028584\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc1cba1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"fc1cba1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dab246a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"dab246a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">No to Silence and Impunity for Online and Offline Slander and Harassment of Women in Politics<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-881b920 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"881b920\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4><em><strong>Women and Media Collective (WMC) , Social Scientists\u2019 Association (SSA) and Mannar Women\u2019s Development Federation (MWDF)<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dfbafd7 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"dfbafd7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-059c769 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-user-circle\" viewBox=\"0 0 496 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M248 104c-53 0-96 43-96 96s43 96 96 96 96-43 96-96-43-96-96-96zm0 144c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48s21.5-48 48-48 48 21.5 48 48-21.5 48-48 48zm0-240C111 8 0 119 0 256s111 248 248 248 248-111 248-248S385 8 248 8zm0 448c-49.7 0-95.1-18.3-130.1-48.4 14.9-23 40.4-38.6 69.6-39.5 20.8 6.4 40.6 9.6 60.5 9.6s39.7-3.1 60.5-9.6c29.2 1 54.7 16.5 69.6 39.5-35 30.1-80.4 48.4-130.1 48.4zm162.7-84.1c-24.4-31.4-62.1-51.9-105.1-51.9-10.2 0-26 9.6-57.6 9.6-31.5 0-47.4-9.6-57.6-9.6-42.9 0-80.6 20.5-105.1 51.9C61.9 339.2 48 299.2 48 256c0-110.3 89.7-200 200-200s200 89.7 200 200c0 43.2-13.9 83.2-37.3 115.9z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEditor\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-0fc70ba elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/womenandmedia.org\/si\/2025\/02\/25\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-calendar\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M12 192h424c6.6 0 12 5.4 12 12v260c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V204c0-6.6 5.4-12 12-12zm436-44v-36c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48h-48V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H160V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v36c0 6.6 5.4 12 12 12h424c6.6 0 12-5.4 12-12z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>\u0db4\u0dd9\u0db6\u0dbb\u0dc0\u0dcf\u0dbb\u0dd2 25, 2025<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-732655f4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"732655f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The face of representative politics in Sri Lanka changed positively in the wake of the parliamentary elections of 2024 with an unprecedented number of new MPs, including women entering Parliament. Women\u2019s representation almost doubled from 5% to 10%. There are now 22 women MPs, 19 of whom are from the National Peoples Power (NPP).<\/p><p>This is a significant advance, which adds to the gains made in women\u2019s representation in local government following the implementation of affirmative action in the form of the 25% quota for women at local government elections held in 2018. We applaud the NPP and all other parties which gave a high number of nominations to women and voter perceptivity which positively acknowledged women\u2019s achievements in the political sphere.<\/p><p>Yet despite this progress, misogynistic elements within and outside parliament have launched a vicious campaign to undermine women elected to the new parliament. We note with concern and strongly condemn the intense online vilification, slander and harassment to which prime minister Harini Amarasuriya and MPs Kaushalya Ariyaratne and Nilanthi Kottahachchi have been subjected. These attacks have followed in the wake of the slander and vilification of some women candidates during the election campaign, including women belonging to ethnic and religious minority groups who are typically underrepresented in Parliament, such as candidates Mithilaichelvi (Tamil Makkal Kootani, Jaffna), Kaushalya Naren (Independent Committee 17, Jaffna) and Umachandraa Prakash (SJB, Jaffna). The first transgender woman candidate Chanu Nimesha also received intense backlash upon the announcement of her candidacy. These attacks mimic a historical pattern of slander, harassment, and defamation faced by women in politics from the national level to the local since the election of the first woman prime minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. What is different from the past is the way in which sexist and sexualised commentary against women is facilitated by and normalised within social media platforms, and then disseminated to a wide audience, with perpetrators facing little or no consequence.<\/p><p>The online and offline attacks against women candidates are made in a broader context in which women politicians are expected to conform to certain norms of respectability that do not apply to male politicians and where they are sexualised and objectified in ways that violate the privacy, dignity and integrity of these women. Moreover, these attacks pose a threat to their personal security. It also violates their right to equal and inclusive representation on equal terms with men.<\/p><p>Such harassment and violations represent a refusal to accept women in positions of important political and public office and within institutions of governance. It is clear that despite the important progress made to date in relation to women\u2019s representation, some men in our society are threatened by women in political leadership and will go to great lengths to undermine and block such leadership.<\/p><p>These attacks which challenge women\u2019s political representation and civic space, attempt to restrict the activities of women and threaten to reverse the rights won by them. They are insidious and must be stopped forthwith to ensure that women are not prevented from standing for office in the forthcoming local government and provincial council elections.<\/p><p>Women\u2019s organisations in Sri Lanka have waged a long struggle since the late 1990s to increase women\u2019s representation in elected political bodies. For over 40 years, women\u2019s representation in parliament stagnated at just over 5%. Women\u2019s organisations attributed this abysmal representation to the refusal of political parties to recognise and mentor women for political leadership and their refusal to give nominations to women. In this context, the increase in women\u2019s representation in parliament without legally mandated affirmative action is an achievement to be celebrated, even as political parties need to do much more to achieve parity in representative politics.<\/p><p>Political parties and electors alike must recognise that the increased numbers of women both in parliament and local government will enrich our democracy. If democracy is to be deepened and strengthened, we need to protect the right of women to access political, public, and economic spheres of decision making. This is critical if Sri Lanka is to find a way out of the current economic crisis and build an inclusive and just democratic system of governance and a vibrant progressive society.<\/p><p>We, the undersigned, condemn the attacks on women parliamentarians. We call on civil society organisations to foster a transparent and responsible discourse on women in leadership and educate their constituencies to critically engage with misinformation about women offline and online. We also urge all political party leaders to educate their members at all levels to recognise and respect the right of women to be treated with dignity in politics and the public domain.<\/p><p>Gender-Based-Violence including sexist and sexualised commentary is part of a wider systemic issue of violence against women and girls and needs to be addressed as such. Following recent announcements on the withdrawal of fact checking on popular social media platforms by the companies running these platforms and other measures \u2014 framed as efforts to promote more speech and minimise errors in moderating content \u2014 this is a pivotal moment for CSOs to hold tech and social media companies accountable. These platforms must ensure that their policies and frameworks genuinely create inclusive and equitable online spaces, free from discrimination, hostility or violence, while safeguarding freedom of expression.<\/p><p>We call on the government to lead by example by respecting gender equality and equity and adopting a zero-tolerance policy on sexism and misogyny within state institutions as well as within its party structures and amongst its members. This is imperative to prevent and counter hate speech against women. Further, the government should ensure that legal protections for women are implemented and perpetrators of sexual and gender violence are held accountable.<\/p><p>Endorsed by<\/p><p><strong>Organizations:<\/strong><\/p><ol><li>Alliance for Minorities<\/li><li>Centre for Equality and Justice<\/li><li>Center for Social Concerns, Ja-ela<\/li><li>Dabindu Collective<\/li><li>Eastern Social Development Foundation<\/li><li>Equal Ground<\/li><li>Everystory Lanka<\/li><li>Family Planning Association Sri Lanka (FPASL)<\/li><li>Heart to Heart Lanka<\/li><li>International Centre for Ethnic Studies<\/li><li>Law and Society Trust<\/li><li>Mannar Women\u2019s Development Federation<\/li><li>Movement for the Defence of Democratic Right<\/li><li>14. Muslim Women Development Trust<\/li><li>Rajarata Praja Kendraya, Olukaranda, Kekirawa<\/li><li>Rural Development Foundation<\/li><li>Sisterhood Initiative<\/li><li>Social Scientists\u2019 Association<\/li><li>Suriya Women\u2019s Development Centre, Batticaloa<\/li><li>Uva Wellassa Women Organization<\/li><li>Women and Media Collective<\/li><li>Women\u2019s Action Network<\/li><li>Women\u2019s Education and Research Centre<\/li><li>Women\u2019s Resource Center, Kurunegala<\/li><li>Women\u2019s Solidarity Network (WSN)<\/li><\/ol><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>Individuals<br \/><\/strong><\/p><ol><li>Ambika Satkunanathan<\/li><li>Anberiya Hanifa \u2013 Muslim Women\u2019s Research and Action Forum<\/li><li>Anuratha Rajaretnam<\/li><li>Anushka Kahandagamage \u2013 Freelance Researcher<\/li><li>Anushka Opatha \u2013 Women and Media Collective<\/li><li>Avanthi Kalansooriya<\/li><li>Balasingham Skanthakumar<\/li><li>Cayathri Divakalala \u2013 Researcher<\/li><li>Chamila Thushari \u2013 Dabindu Collective<\/li><li>Chulani Kodikara \u2013 Polity, Editorial Collective<\/li><li>Crystal Baines \u2013 Social Scientists\u2019 Association<\/li><li>Dimithri Wijesinghe \u2013 Attorney-at-law<\/li><li>Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy<\/li><li>Emeritus Prof. Jayadeva Uyangoda<\/li><li>Emeritus Prof. Savitri Goonesekere<\/li><li>Godfrey Puvindra Yogarajah \u2013 Chairman, Asia Evangelical Alliance<\/li><li>G.G. Rupa Gamage \u2013 Rajarata Praja Kendraya, Senior Program Coordinator<\/li><li>Indrani Kusumalatha \u2013 Community Encouragement Foundation (CEF), Executive Director<\/li><li>Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala<\/li><li>Jensila Majeed<\/li><li>Jithsara Jayasinghe \u2013 Asst. Projects Officer, Equal Ground<\/li><li>Juwariya Mohideen<\/li><li>K. Somawathie<\/li><li>Kamini Rathnayake<\/li><li>Kumudini Samuel &#8211; Women and Media Collective<\/li><li>Linuri Munasinghe \u2013 Attorney at Law<\/li><li>Mahaluxmy Kirushanthan<\/li><li>Marisa De Silva<\/li><li>Mario Gomez<\/li><li>Menasha Samaradiwakara \u2013 Women and Media Collective<\/li><li>Misha\u2019ari Weerabangsa \u2013 Delete Nothing<\/li><li>Minupama Kariyawasam \u2013 Projects Officer, Equal Ground<\/li><li>Nabeela Iqbal<\/li><li>Nalini Rathnarajah \u2013 Women\u2019s Human Rights Defender, Women\u2019s Development Innovators<\/li><li>Nelun Gunasekara<\/li><li>Prof Neloufer de Mel<\/li><li>Prof. Sumathy Sivamohan \u2013 University of Peradeniya<\/li><li>R.M.S Rathnayake \u2013 Rajarata Praja Kendraya, Director Executive<\/li><li>Dr. Ramani Jayasundara<\/li><li>Rohini Hensman \u2013 Writer and Independent Scholar<\/li><li>Rosanna Flamer-Caldera \u2013 Executive Director, Equal Ground<\/li><li>Rupa Gamage \u2013 Rajarata Praja Kendraya<\/li><li>Sakuntala Kadirgamar \u2013 Law and Society Trust<\/li><li>Sarala Emmanuel \u2013 Feminist Researcher and Activist, Batticaloa<\/li><li>Senura Randeniya \u2013 Women and Media Collective<\/li><li>Shani Asokan<\/li><li>Shelani Palihawadana \u2013 Youth Advocacy Network Sri Lanka<\/li><li>Shreen Saroor<\/li><li>Shiranee Mills<\/li><li>Shyamala Gomez \u2013 Centre for Equality and Justice<\/li><li>Shyamini Thayalan<\/li><li>Sonali Gunasekara \u2013 FPASL, Advocacy Director<\/li><li>Sonali Silva \u2013 Co-chair, SheDecides<\/li><li>Sumika Perera<\/li><li>Tehani Ariyaratne<\/li><li>Thahira Cader<\/li><li>Tharanga De Silva \u2013 Women and Media Collective<\/li><li>Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Onderdenwijngaard \u2013 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam<\/li><li>Thushara Madahapola \u2013 Movement for the Defence of Democratic Right<\/li><li>Vanamali Galappatti \u2013 Women and Media Collective<\/li><li>Vanie Simon \u2013 Women\u2019s Change Action Network<\/li><li>Widya Kumarasinghe<\/li><li>Zainab Hassen \u2013 Yellowdot, Founder<\/li><li>Shyadhah Zaara Nizamudeen \u2013 At Humanity Sri Lanka<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4613c44 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"4613c44\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ec9a57d elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"ec9a57d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"http:\/\/womenandmedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Statement-against-women-and-hate-speech_Trilingual-Updated.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-file-pdf\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M369.9 97.9L286 14C277 5 264.8-.1 252.1-.1H48C21.5 0 0 21.5 0 48v416c0 26.5 21.5 48 48 48h288c26.5 0 48-21.5 48-48V131.9c0-12.7-5.1-25-14.1-34zM332.1 128H256V51.9l76.1 76.1zM48 464V48h160v104c0 13.3 10.7 24 24 24h104v288H48zm250.2-143.7c-12.2-12-47-8.7-64.4-6.5-17.2-10.5-28.7-25-36.8-46.3 3.9-16.1 10.1-40.6 5.4-56-4.2-26.2-37.8-23.6-42.6-5.9-4.4 16.1-.4 38.5 7 67.1-10 23.9-24.9 56-35.4 74.4-20 10.3-47 26.2-51 46.2-3.3 15.8 26 55.2 76.1-31.2 22.4-7.4 46.8-16.5 68.4-20.1 18.9 10.2 41 17 55.8 17 25.5 0 28-28.2 17.5-38.7zm-198.1 77.8c5.1-13.7 24.5-29.5 30.4-35-19 30.3-30.4 35.7-30.4 35zm81.6-190.6c7.4 0 6.7 32.1 1.8 40.8-4.4-13.9-4.3-40.8-1.8-40.8zm-24.4 136.6c9.7-16.9 18-37 24.7-54.7 8.3 15.1 18.9 27.2 30.1 35.5-20.8 4.3-38.9 13.1-54.8 19.2zm131.6-5s-5 6-37.3-7.8c35.1-2.6 40.9 5.4 37.3 7.8z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Read the full statement in English, Sinhala &amp; Tamil<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No to Silence and Impunity for Online and Offline Slander and Harassment of Women in Politics Women and Media Collective (WMC) , Social Scientists\u2019 Association (SSA) and Mannar Women\u2019s Development Federation (MWDF) The face of representative politics in Sri Lanka changed positively in the wake of the parliamentary elections of 2024 with an unprecedented number [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[41,136,49,117,115,124,26,53],"tags":[167,170,168,169],"class_list":["post-25326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gender-politics","category-gender-and-the-internet-3","category-legal-and-policy-reforms","category-mmedia","category-political-and-social-transformation","category-sgbv-3","category-sgbv","category-womens-representation","tag-online-harassment","tag-political-representation","tag-sgbv","tag-women-in-politics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Statement Against Slander and Harassment of Women in Politics - Women &amp; 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