Life style
Will these bills amplify women’s voices?
Women empowerment, gender and equality
By Zanita Careem
Ambika Satkunanathan is a human rights advocate based in Sri Lanka. For more than twenty years she has worked with persons and communities impacted by human rights violations, and assisted them with accessing remedies. From Oct 2015 to March 2020, she was a Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, where she led the first ever national study of prisons. Prior to that foreight years she was a Legal Advisor to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
She is a board member of the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Torture, a member of the Expert Panel of the Trial Watch Project of the Clooney Foundation and a member of the Network of Experts of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime.
Her research, advocacy and activism have focused on counter-terrorism law and policy, drug control and rehabilitation, transitional justice, custodial violence, penal policy, militarization and gender. Her research on drug control, detention and rehabilitation in Sri Lanka, the first such study, was published in August 2021 by Harm Reduction International. She is currently working on recording the experiences of women who come into conflict with the law due to drug offences.
Her publications include contributions to the International Journal of Transitional Justice, the Oxford Handbook of Gender & Conflict, the Routledge Handbook on Human Rights in South Asia, Feminist Studies and Contemporary South Asia.
She is Chairperson of the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust, a local grantmaking organisation in Sri Lanka and was a founder member and Vice Chairperson of Urgent Action Fund- Asia and Pacific, a feminist regional grantmaking organisation.
She was an Open Society Fellow from 2020-2022. She has a B.A. and LL.B from Monash University Australia and a LL.M from University of Nottingham, where she was a Chevening Scholar.
Could you tell us about you and some of the early influence in your life?
My experiences as a Tamil in Sri Lanka influenced the way I engaged with the world and drove me to work in human rights protection because I became aware of discrimination, violence and prejudice even as a child. As I grew older, as a woman, I experienced different forms of discrimination and prejudice that women generally face, which were worsened by my ethnic identity. This point at which both my identities intersected, and where I was exposed to the violent and ugly side of humanity is where what I believe something positive- my work, values and activism- were born.
Tell us about your most inspiring moments in your work so far?
In the kind of work I do, what I find most inspiring are the people that despite being subject to discrimination, loss, violence and pain, continue to struggle for their rights and that of others; those who continue to be humane despite the inhumane way in which the world has treated them.
What do your experience as the main challenge as someone working on human rights. And how do you deal with obstacles in your work?
The main challenge persons working on human rights protection face is the state/government viewing persons who work on human rights as enemies and threats to their power, and constantly trying to intimidate and/or discredit them and curtial and/or undermine their work.
The lack of viable, substantive and holistic remedies for persons who experience human rights violations is also a considerable challenge. Even the remedies that do exist, such as filing a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court or complaning to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka can take months or even years, and even when a remedy is granted, it does not address all aspects of the violations experienced.
Not surprisingly, the various difficulties faced in supporting victims of human rights violations and assisting them to obtain remedies as well as challenging abusive state power can lead to feelings frustration or dejection. Personally, as a Tamil woman working on human rights I have often been labelled a terrorist, LTTE, anti-national, traitor and subject to gender-based online abuse, vilification and harassment.
One of the ways to deal with these obstacles is through collaborative work, partnerships and networks, and sharing resources. The other is long-overdue state reform, including reform of institutions such as the police. Human rights activists can advocate for such reform but it requires political will and progressive vision, which to date is sorely lacking in Sri Lanka. Another means is to step up and support those that are being attacked for the work they do or because of an aspect of their identity, such as LGBTIQ persons.
Your news on women empowerment bill, gender and equality Bill. Will these bills implement concrete actions to amplify women’s voices. There had been a national policy on women’s empowerment since 1911 your comments?
Many provisions of the Gender Equality Bill and the Women’s Empowerment Act give the appearance of sections of national action plans that have been turned into law. For instance, what is the purpose of making the appointment of focal points, which is an administrative function, a provision in a law? Furthermore, women’s groups and activists have stated they were not consulted on the gazetted version of the laws. Hence, the lawmaking process seems haphazard, was lacking in transparency and was not inclusive. The President’s remarks in parliament about the Supreme Court determination on the Gender Equality Bill where he stated that a parliamentary committee should be appointed to review the determination seems like an attempt to control judges and threatens the independence of the judiciary. Although the Suprene Court determination is problematic and not progressive, the executive undermining the independence of public institutions, particularly the judiciary, will only further erode the rule of law and democracy in Sri Lanka.
Enacting laws or establishing commissions or institutions will not magically lead to gender equality or women’s empowerment. To achieve gender equality, we need to acknowlege the patriarchal nature of Sri Lankan society and address misogyny, sexism and discrimination structurally and socially. This means we must address it in the family, school, universities, workplaces and particularly public institutions and systems.
Most importantly, do not forget that every right the government undermines, also undermines the rights of women and their safety and security. Every government attempt to undermine the rule of law, also adversely impacts women. Therefore, enacting these laws, while undermining the rule of law and public institutions and enabling violence by state entities, such as the police, is farcical and will only further undermine the rights, security and well-being of women.
Human rights remains a issue not only in Sri Lankan but all over the world. What is your assessment of the situation?
As you rightly say, human rights are under threat globally and the international legal order is being attacked and undermined. Sri Lanka is complicit in this as much as global powers, such as the US. What the detractors of the international legal order do not seem to understand or perhaps do not care about is that respecting the international legal order, international human rights standards and international processes, such as the UN processes, creates safety for all of us. Yet, the reality is that generally states do not like to be held accountable and go on the offensive when challenged, particularly in international fora as they feel being held accountable is a loss of face. States also weaponize human rights against certain countries and contexts and countries often point to other states that flout international law to justify their own violations. None of these positions are valid or viable. As I say, this is not a race to the bottom and you cannot claim the protections that international law affords only when it is expedient because then others will do the same and the result will be anarchy.
Specifically what are the main problem areas of human rights in Sri Lanka?
We have a government that does not respect the rule of law – for instance, police officers engaging in torture and the government and other state entities ignoring Supreme Court judgments and determinations is quite common. This further entrenches impunity and enables the government and state entities to abuse their power and continue to committ human rights violations. There is lack of trust in public institutions due to successive governments undermining their independence and policitising them.
Corruption is another critical issue that needs to be addressed. Repressive laws that do not adhere to international human rights standards, such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the Vagrants Ordinance, the Online Safety Act and provisions that criminalise same sex relations remain on the statute books.
Fifteen years after the end of the war a political solution to the ethnic conflict is elusive, and those responsible for war time violations have not been held accountable. Instead, war affected populations in the North and East, such as the families of the disappeared that demand truth and justice are surveilled, intimidated and harassed. This year families of those killed during the last stages of the war were not even allowed to hold ceremonies to remember the dead.
Socio-economic rights are also human rights- hence there are many violations that are taking place, including due to the economic crisis, such as the loss of livelihood, increasing poverty, malnutrition and reduced access to health care and education. The position of social groups that have been marginalised and discriminated against, such as persons with disabilities, LGBTIQ persons and Muslims and Malaiyaha communities remain largely unaddressed.
What are the main changes you like to see in the world particularly in relation to women and their rights?
I would like to see a world that is not patriarchal, sexist or misogynist- in which women do not have to constantly struggle to be seen, respected or heard. A world in which they are equal and have the choice to make decisions about their bodies and their lives, without being criminalised, abused, vilified, ridiculed or controlled.
ambikasat@gmail.com
By Zinara Rathnayake
Pay Drechsel is going for his daily morning walk around Talangama Wetland, in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo. The sun casts a warm glow over flowering pink water lilies as a farmer scrubs down his water buffalo. A kingfisher hovers nearby. Soon, photographers will arrive to capture curved-necked egrets, waders probing for crawling worms, and little cormorants diving for freshwater fish.
Talangama Wetland and its surrounding swamps, reedbeds, canals and rice fields teem with life. But this hasn’t always been the case. About 15 years ago, these ecosystems were degraded and filled with rubbish. They were “dirty, very dirty”, says Drechsel, interim country manager at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Colombo.
He recalls how he spent one Christmas almost a decade ago cleaning the lake, scouring for piles of rotting garbage leaking contaminants into the water, and sorting waste for recycling. To his surprise, passersby stopped and started helping him. “I realized it’s not only me, locals also appreciate it,” he says. “But like me over all the years, they may have been waiting for someone to take the lead.”
The community came together to keep the massive wetland complex clean, forming the Talangama Wetland Watch. Residents organize weekly collection runs, piling up sorted waste at a small collection unit which the municipality sends off for recycling. School kids volunteer, kayaking through the lake to dig up invasive water hyacinth.
Home to over two million residents, Colombo is built on and around a massive network of wetlands. In 2018, Colombo became one of the 18 Ramsar wetland cities in the world – an accreditation which recognizes cities for their commitment to restore, safeguard and value wetlands, with 25 new cities added to the list in 2022.
As Colombo is located in a river basin, the city is naturally prone to floods. Colombo’s wetlands act as a flood buffer, with 40% of floodwaters draining into wetland areas. They also sink carbon, purify the air and control temperatures. As temperatures warm and rains become more erratic, “wetlands are important to the city to mitigate climate change impacts”, says Chethika Gunasiri, an environmental scientist at the University of Tokyo who was part of Colombo’s Ramsar application. “Wetlands help Colombo mitigate pollution and natural disasters. They help reduce human stress as more and more people are now living in high rise buildings,” she adds.
Historically, wetlands were a “part and parcel of people’s lives in Colombo,” says Missaka Hettiarachchi, a senior fellow at the World Wildlife Fund’s environment and disaster management programme, who has been studying wetlands in Colombo for several years. Ancient kingdoms thrived in a well-managed wetland system where people used them for transport and to grow food, Hettiarachchi says.
Their downturn began in the British colonial period from the late 18th Century. When industries grew, people acquired wetlands to drain for building housing and businesses. A flood retention scheme introduced during British rule in 1924 led to the creation of man made drainage canals, preventing people from travelling through the wetlands. Although they are regularly cleaned, many of these canals are now polluted and choked with invasive plants.
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- The restoration has boosted wildlife populations in Colombo’s wetlands
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- Thalangama Wetland in Colombo used to be filled with rubbish but is now teeming with life
“The canals are no longer enough to prevent Colombo from flooding,” says Gunasiri.
After independence in 1948, subsequent governments declared some wetlands for flood buffering, and filled up others to make space for living, Hettiarachchi says. “And people thought wetlands were also a very, very attractive space for garbage dumps, because, you know, no one is living there, right?” This meant that people dumped everything from food waste to solid waste and chemicals while releasing sewage into the wetlands.
From the 1980s, massive rubbish mountains began to appear in natural wetlands, such as Meethotamulla in the Colombo metropolitan area, which spans 100,000 sq m (107,639 sq ft) and stands 60m (197 ft) tall. The wetland was closed after one of the rubbish mountains collapsed and killed 32 people in 2017.
During the civil war (1983-2009), the encroachment of wetlands continued, as they were sold to internally displaced people, Hettiarachchi says. Some marshy wetlands turned into shrub habitats that couldn’t hold enough water to protect the city from flooding, he says. According to one study, Kolonnawa Marsh, which forms the largest part of Colombo’s flood retention belt, has lost 65% of its area since the 1800s. A 2014 study concluded that 44% of the marsh has turned into a shrubland. The soil too has changed, reducing its capacity to absorb and drain water, leading to increased flooding and disasters.
By the 2000s, the city’s wetlands were “a bloody mess”, Hettiarachchi says. During his PhD, he would ask residents living near the degraded wetlands about these ecosystems, and they would respond: “No, we don’t know any wetlands.”
The decline of the wetlands made Colombo more prone to flooding. In 2010, a series of disastrous floods affected nearly 700,000 people and submerged the country’s parliament. This led to a shift in government policy. “I think it took a few significant flooding events for the government to realize, okay, wetlands are a significant flood control mechanism, so we need to do something about it,” says Radheeka Jirasinha, a freshwater and wetland management researcher at IWMI.
15 years ago, Colombo’s wetlands were degraded and filled with rubbish
As part of the ongoing revival, the government introduced the metro Colombo wetland management strategy in 2016, which aims to include wetlands in urban planning, prevent further wetland loss, restore the ecosystems and involve the local community in their conservation. Following that, wetlands were incorporated into urban infrastructure by constructing cycling tracks, jogging paths and recreational areas around them.
“The idea was to bring people to the wetlands,” Gunasiri says. The government initiatives pulled up invasive species like water hyacinth and introduced new soil and wetland plants to attract birds and other animals.
Today, Colombo is home to four wetland parks and several other recreational spaces linked by wetlands. These restored wetlands look very different from those left untended. Photographer Nazly Ahmed says that when he went to Kotte, a Colombo suburb and the administrative hub of the country, in the late 1990s to play cricket with friends, the wetlands were covered entirely by water hyacinth. This invasive weed clogs waterways, grows over native plants, reduces oxygen and creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and their growth is linked to poor water quality and high pollution levels.
This Colombo suburb is now home to jogging paths and bird watching spots built around the wetlands and waterways. “No one knew about wetlands then, but people are talking about wetlands now,” says Ahmed.
Gunasiri says these green infrastructure projects have helped people to engage with the city’s wetlands again and that people now flock to the urban wetland parks for an evening jog. “When these natural systems become public areas, people start to have a sense of ownership,” she says.
Jirasinha agrees. People feel that they can use these spaces now, she says. “They’re concerned about what is happening. And suddenly, people look at the water and are like, ‘Hey, it’s polluted…where is that coming from’?”
It’s not only the government that is managing Colombo’s wetlands. Community initiatives like the Talangama Wetland Watch have started to take responsibility too. “If you keep wetlands free from rubbish and maintain them, they increase the property value in urban areas,” says Drechsel, who believes people are willing to pay twice as much for land with wetland views.
Colombo is prone to flooding and the wetlands act as an important buffer
Although there’s an attitude shift and residents are now aware of the value the wetlands add to the city, problems are far from over, Hettiarachchi says. After the civil war ended in 2009, Colombo’s urban population expanded rapidly. Developments sprung up, leading to the draining of wetlands for housing, businesses and infrastructure. Since 2009, Colombo has lost 2.12 sq km (0.8 sq miles) of its wetlands.
According to a 2024 study, wetlands absorb 62.1mm more floodwater than built up areas in Colombo. Despite collective efforts to clean and restore some of the city’s wetlands, the overall loss of wetland area means that Colombo is becoming more vulnerable to floods, the 2024 study notes.
The Ramsar accreditation pushed the state government to temporarily suspend filling and destroying any wetlands. “So there’s definitely proactive action to safeguard the city’s wetlands, but we need a coordinated effort from government, non-profits and communities to stop their degradation,” says Chaturangi Wickramaratne, a freshwater ecologist at IWMI.
Gunasiri explains that wetland education is vital for citizens to understand their importance in urban resilience. “More and more wetlands need to be a part of the city’s functions, linked to people’s well-being, so people begin to care about them more,” she says.
Wetlands can also help with the city’s food shortages, says Hettiarachchi. “You don’t need irrigation systems to grow food, you can use these ecosystems – they are also fabulous breeding grounds for fish,” he says.
Behind the new use of Colombo’s wetlands for people’s well-being, Gunasiri notes an underlying urgency to protect these ecosystems. “If we lose our wetlands, Colombo will be unliveable.
“BBC”
Life style
Hilton Sri Lanka Triumphs with 12 of the 25 Awards Won by Hotels and Resorts Across the Country
Hilton Sri Lanka has once again demonstrated its leadership hospitality, taking home an impressive 12 awards across four properties at the prestigious World Luxury Hotel Awards gala held in Bali, Indonesia. The accolades serve as a testament to the brand’s commitment to excellence, world-class service, and innovative guest experiences said a release.
Among the standout winners, Hilton Colombo was honored as a Luxury Business Hotel (Regional), Luxury Conference and Event Hotel (Country), and also secured recognition for Best Architectural Design (Regional). With a 37-year legacy, Hilton Colombo continues to set the bar for luxury hospitality in the heart of Sri Lanka.
Hilton Colombo Residences, located just minutes away from the flagship hotel, also added to the accolades with titles such as Luxury Family Hotel (Regional), Luxury Residences (Regional), and Luxury City Hotel (Country). The property is renowned for providing comfort and sophistication, particularly for families and long-stay travelers.
In southern Sri Lanka, DoubleTree by Hilton Weerawila Rajawarna Resort earned global recognition as the Best Lakeside Resort, alongside Best Presidential Suite (Continent) and Luxury Family Resort (Regional).
Adding to the success, Hilton Yala Resort, the latest addition to Hilton Sri Lanka’s portfolio, was acknowledged for Best Interior Design (Global) and secured wins in the categories of Luxury New Resort (Continent) and Luxury Wildlife Resort (Continent).
Commenting on the achievement, Manesh Fernando, Area General Manager for Hilton Sri Lanka and General Manager of Hilton Colombo, said: “We are incredibly proud of these awards, which underscore our unwavering dedication to delivering unparalleled guest experiences. his recognition would not have been possible without the continued support of our valuable guests, owners, team members, and community, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who voted for us. Your trust and loyalty inspire us to strive for excellence continually.”
The World Luxury Hotel Awards is one of the most coveted accolades in the global luxury hospitality industry, recognizing exceptional service and innovation across a variety of categories.
The Grand Kandyan Hotel was alive with seasonal cheer as it hosted its annual Christmas cake mixing event, bringing together fans, families, and cricket stars for a joyous celebration.
Cricket stars joined the festivities, adding a special touch to the occasion. Their presence not only drew crowds but also fostered a great sense of community spirit, as fans interacted with their heroes while preparing for the upcoming holiday season. The air was filled with the delightful aromas of fruits, nuts, and spices, evoking the warmth and joy of Christmas.
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