27 February 2023\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
List of Issues (LOI) deliberations – Sri Lanka\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Submitted by Kumudini Samuel on behalf of The Women and Media Collective and the Centre\u00a0 for Poverty Analysis, Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thank you, Madam Chair and Working Group. Good Afternoon!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The issues raised here were not included in the State Party\u2019s submission to CEDAW in April 2022.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>However they are of critical importance in the context of the unprecedented ongoing financial,\u00a0 debt and economic crisis in the country.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Background\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n In 2022 Sri Lanka\u2019s economy contracted by 10% resulting in unparalleled loss of incomes and\u00a0 livelihoods, scarcity in essential goods and medicines and significant food insecurity.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Extreme poverty has doubled <\/span>from 13.1 to 25% ($3.65 per capita)<\/span>3<\/span>in just one year <\/span>and <\/span>an <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>estimated <\/span>42% <\/span>of households are now in poverty. <\/span>Food inflation has increased to 60% and real incomes have declined by 15%.<\/span>5 <\/span>Crippling austerity <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>measures, <\/span>(electricity tariffs were increased by 66% this month, February, adding to a major\u00a0<\/span>increase in August 2022),<\/span> compound hardships. <\/span>Inflation and falling incomes of households\u00a0 indicate that an estimated 6.3 million persons (3 in 10 persons) are food insecure and child\u00a0 malnutrition in Sri Lanka ranks 7<\/span>th <\/span>in the world.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Adverse effects of the crisis go well beyond its immediate impact and households sliding into\u00a0 poverty can remain there for generations. This situation needs immediate and urgent redress\u00a0 through careful policy interventions.<\/span><\/p>\n Impact on Women <\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n This rapid and unforeseen contraction of economic growth has resulted in diminishing quality of <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>life with disproportionately gendered and grave repercussions for women, adding to the hardships <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Regressive increases in VAT, coupled with austerity, inflation, falling incomes and loss of\u00a0 livelihoods have <\/span>constrained the economic security of thousands of households, directly affecting\u00a0 women who are tasked with ensuring the welfare of their families. The sharp increase in consumer\u00a0 products, shortages of essentials such as fuel, domestic gas, rice and other food items have been\u00a0 further compounded by lack of access to adequate incomes, rising unemployment and poverty\u00a0 experienced by women as income earners and as unpaid care workers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In August 2022, UNFPA appealed for USD10.7 million to urgently meet the sexual and\u00a0 reproductive health needs, and protection needs, of women and girls including for life saving\u00a0 medicines, equipment, services and supplies including for the clinical management of rape and\u00a0 domestic violence survivors.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We therefore urge the Committee to ask the State party how it proposes to expand its social <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>protection coverage to:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n