Affirmative Action Vital to Increase Women’s Participation in Politics
Source: Ground Views
It is an enduring stain on Sri Lanka’s democracy and gender equality that only 4.8 percent of parliamentarians are women despite their high literacy rate and educational levels. To correct this imbalance, proactive action is needed by women and men.
Women had the right to vote when universal franchise was granted to all males and females over the age of 21 in 1931. Before that, under the Donoughmore Constitution voting rights were given to a section of the elite but women from these families were excluded. Women had to fight for the right to vote, presenting a memorandum to the Donoughmore Commission demanding their right to vote, which resulted in universal franchise.
Two women members of the State Council were elected in 1931, constituting 4 percent of total members. One woman was elected to State Council in 1934 and until 1947 there were no women in the State Council. The first parliament of the country in 1947 had 95 members of whom three were women representing leftist political parties. The percentage of women in parliament for the 77 years from 1947 to 2024 has increased only by 2.7 percent.
Read here the full article published by Ground Views on 11 September 2024.
Image credits: Ground Views
It is an enduring stain on Sri Lanka’s democracy and gender equality that only 4.8 percent of parliamentarians are women despite their high literacy rate and educational levels. To correct this imbalance, proactive action is needed by women and men.
Women had the right to vote when universal franchise was granted to all males and females over the age of 21 in 1931. Before that, under the Donoughmore Constitution voting rights were given to a section of the elite but women from these families were excluded. Women had to fight for the right to vote, presenting a memorandum to the Donoughmore Commission demanding their right to vote, which resulted in universal franchise.
Two women members of the State Council were elected in 1931, constituting 4 percent of total members. One woman was elected to State Council in 1934 and until 1947 there were no women in the State Council. The first parliament of the country in 1947 had 95 members of whom three were women representing leftist political parties. The percentage of women in parliament for the 77 years from 1947 to 2024 has increased only by 2.7 percent.
Read here the full article published by Ground Views on 11 September 2024.
Image credits: Ground Views