Comparative experiences: Operationalizing the 25% quota for women in Local Government in Sri Lanka
Source:
(PRESS RELEASE) – 31 July 2017, Colombo: A discussion forum on operationalizing the 25% quota for women in Local Government, and comparative experiences on advancing women’s political participation was held on Wednesday, 26 July 2017 at the Lighthouse, Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute.
The main purpose of the event was to share comparative experiences on advancing women’s political participation from the United Kingdom (UK) and Pakistan, with local political party members and civil society actors, who are advocating for increased women’s representation and participation in political party systems.
In Sri Lanka, women have had the right to vote and participate in political activities since 1931. However, the representation of women in Sri Lankan politics has been the lowest among the South Asian nations, despite having had female heads of State for 25 out of 69 years of post-independence history. As of 2012, just 4% of seats in the Provincial Councils and 1.9% in Local Government have been held by women. Sri Lanka ranked 180 out of 190 in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) ranking of female members in Parliament as of 2017.
Click here to read the full article published by Lanka Business Online on 1 August 2017.
(PRESS RELEASE) – 31 July 2017, Colombo: A discussion forum on operationalizing the 25% quota for women in Local Government, and comparative experiences on advancing women’s political participation was held on Wednesday, 26 July 2017 at the Lighthouse, Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute.
The main purpose of the event was to share comparative experiences on advancing women’s political participation from the United Kingdom (UK) and Pakistan, with local political party members and civil society actors, who are advocating for increased women’s representation and participation in political party systems.
In Sri Lanka, women have had the right to vote and participate in political activities since 1931. However, the representation of women in Sri Lankan politics has been the lowest among the South Asian nations, despite having had female heads of State for 25 out of 69 years of post-independence history. As of 2012, just 4% of seats in the Provincial Councils and 1.9% in Local Government have been held by women. Sri Lanka ranked 180 out of 190 in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) ranking of female members in Parliament as of 2017.
Click here to read the full article published by Lanka Business Online on 1 August 2017.