News
Woman researcher sees persistent underrepresentation of women in politics despite increased representation in Parliament
Dr. Chulani Kodikara, researcher at the Social Scientists’ Association and Co-Editor of Polity (SSA Magazine) says that even though representation of women in Parliament increased there is persistent underrepresentation of women in politics.
Representation of women in formal political institutions remains low when compared with other countries in South Asia, Dr. Kodikara said delivering the opening remarks at a recent half-day event titled ‘Improving media engagement with women in politics in Sri Lanka’, aimed at improving media engagement with women in politics.
The event was jointly organised by the South Asian Women in Media – Sri Lanka (SAWM-SL), in collaboration with the Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association (SLWJA), The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka (TEGSL), and the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) in Colombo.
“Given that representation of women in Parliament has stagnated at around 5% (or more) for more than 40 years, and that the NPP was able to increase representation in Parliament, without any kind of quota or reservation, is really an achievement that we need to recognise and applaud. We have to also celebrate that for the first time in our history two women from the Malaiyaha Tamil community were elected to Parliament in 2024.”
Juxtapose this increase in women’s representation in Parliament to the dramatic increase in women’s representation in local government from 2% to 25% following the implementation of a quota for women introduced in 2016, she said it was achieved after a very long struggle waged not by party women, but by women’s organisations in Sri Lanka.
However, even as these gains are celebrated, she said much more needs to be done in terms of increasing the numerical representation of women in politics, noting that even though the number of women in Parliament has increased substantially, women continue to be underrepresented in the Cabinet.
She also noted that women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions within party structures across all mainstream political parties in Sri Lanka.
Emphasising the media’s role in shaping narratives around women in politics, she said research indicates that female politicians receive less media coverage and are often portrayed in gendered, sexualised, or stereotyped terms. She also noted that the media tends to reinforce traditional gender norms, positioning women within the domestic sphere while aligning men with political leadership.
“The media are also less open to the concerns and achievements of women politicians than to those of their male counterparts,” she said, adding that the rise of social media has exacerbated harassment and hate speech against women politicians, posing a significant barrier to their participation in public life.
He was examining security officer’s new weapon while waiting for his wife to join him on a morning walk
Friday’s shock death of former IGP Chandana Wickramaratne due to gunshot injuries on his chest was possibly due to an accidental discharge of his personal security officer’s (PSO’s) pistol. Wickramaratne, who was kitted for his walk and waiting on the verandah for his wife to join him, was examining the PSO’s new weapon, knowledgeable sources said.
These sources said the wife who was putting on her shoes inside the house heard a bang and found Wickramaratne fallen on the verandah.
The retired IGP had noticed the security officer carrying a new weapon and had asked to examine it. Saying he carried a similar weapon years ago, he found no magazine and said, “are you planning to accompany me on my walk with a pistol without a magazine?”
The PSO had then handed the loaded magazine and gone into the house to fetch a requested bottle of water when the weapon had gone off.
The sources said that Wickramaratne was in no way depressed and had attended an Ananda College old boy’s event a few days ago, had dinner with friends and chatted with them. He had an appointment to meet a friend on Saturday.
Friends and family saw no reason for Wickramaratne to take his own life and there was no evidence whatever of an external agent shooting him. The former IGP was pronounced dead at the Colombo East Teaching Hospital to which he was rushed.
Police said investigations were proceeding and an autopsy report was awaited.
Wickramaratne was appointed the 35th Inspector General on November 25, 2020 and retired three years later in 2023. He had also set a record as the longest serving acting IGP since his naming to that position in May 2019 after his predecessor Pujith Jayasundara was sent on compulsory leave.
He joined as a trainee Assistant Superintendent in June 1986 after graduating from the Colombo University. He was absorbed to the National Intelligence Bureau where he worked till 1995. Thereafter he reverted to the uniform service and had been posted across the country, including the northern and eastern areas at the height of the war.
Former Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake appeared before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate allegations of corruption and fraud at the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) on Friday (17).
Speaking to the media after appearing before the commission, Senanayake said she had been summoned to provide information regarding a food voucher programme implemented during her tenure as Mayor amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis.
She said the programme, carried out through state-owned Lanka Sathosa, was introduced to provide assistance to low-income and vulnerable families affected by the economic hardships during the period.
“We gave food vouchers from Sathosa to the poor during the pandemic and economic crisis.
They wanted answers to some questions they had regarding the programme,” Senanayake said.The Presidential Commission is currently investigating allegations relating to financial irregularities, corruption and other misconduct within the Colombo Municipal Council.
A police constable has been suspended from service following an inquiry into allegations that he sat on the lap of a female police constable while under the influence of alcohol at the Makalugaswewa Police Station.
Police said the constable had reported for duty at a musical concert held at the Dambulla Gam Udawa Stadium on July 15 and later returned to the police station to resume duties.
According to initial reports, the constable allegedly sat on the female officer’s lap after seeing her seated on a chair at the station.
The female police constable subsequently lodged a complaint with the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in charge of the area through the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the police station.
A preliminary investigation into the incident found that the constable had allegedly been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
Following the inquiry into the alleged harassment of the female officer and the constable’s conduct while on duty, police authorities took steps to suspend his service pending further action.
by Norman Palihawadane ✍️
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