January – June 2009
WMC launched this project in 2007 and it was continued in the following years with the same objectives of increasing women’s knowledge of local government, building their capacity to contest local government elections, helping them enable good governance, etc. The observation teams continued the monitoring of selected Local Councils in Kurunegala, Monaragala and Badulla. The completed activities for the period included the following. The observation teams continued the monitoring of selected Local Councils despite resistance by some of them to allow monitoring during periods of dysfunction. Certain practices by the Councils that inconvenienced the general public were observed by the teams. They also inquired after the development projects by the Local Councils and their deficiencies. The allocation of Council budgets and shortcomings thereof were also brought under scrutiny.
Some of the activities conducted by the teams included holding various medical clinics as well as setting up maternity clinics, developing facilities of schools, issuing national identity cards for senior citizens of the districts, discussing the allocation of ‘Gama Naguma’ funds for the development of the selected councils, etc. The monitoring process will be continued for the next six months of the year as well.