Violence, Women and Politics: A Sri Lankan Purview
CENWOR*Despite women’s activism in obtaining voting rights along with men in 1931, high female literacy rates and equal participation as voters, women’s representation at various levels of political structures has been consistently low in Sri Lanka. Today women occupy just 5.7% of the national legislature, up from 4% after independence in 1948, 5% in provincial councils and 1.9% in local government. Out of 107 members in the cabinet, women members hold only three ministerial posts. Most of the elected women come from political families and have been propelled into offices mainly after the assassination of their spouses. The violence that has characterized contemporary political scene, the militarization and brutalization of the Sri Lanka polity brought about by armed insurrection by the Southern youth and a demand for a separate state by a minority Tamil group that saw a full scale war in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka and terrorism in all parts of the country are the major reasons for low participation of women in politics. The violence, assassinations, corruption and malpractices associated with politics prevalent in the society have deterred both men and women from entering politics.
Adversarial politics, political thuggery and violence are endemic in Sri Lankan society. A change over from the Westminster system of government that was adopted at the time of political independence to a proportional system of representation did not pave the way for additional women in the legislature. A flawed electoral system and patriarchal party structures have prevented a critical mass of women in either parliament or other assemblies.... Read more>>
