WERC
The contradictory topic of establishing a unified minimum age of marriage has surfaced again in Sri Lanka, following the public sittings held in all 25 Districts of Sri Lanka by the Public Representations Committee (PRC) on Constitutional Reforms. According to a statement issued by the Women Action Network in Sri Lanka[1], many Muslim women and victims of the injustice faced under the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) have gone before the PRC on constitutional reforms in district level hearings in Puttalam, the
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At the end of 2012, the German government passed a law which guarantees every parent who decides to stay at home in order to take care of an infant child between 15 and 36 months, a monthly payment of 150 Euros. One reason why the law has been passed is that there are not enough day nurseries available for every child under the age of three years. One reason for passing the law is that the parent has a financial incentive for staying at home with her/his child. The law is the wrong way to support young families an
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In 1931, Sri Lanka became one of the first countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America to give women the right to vote. In 1960, Sri Lanka was the first country worldwide to have a female Prime Minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike. Later, in 1994, the first female Executive President was democratically elected. Regarding this very positive history record, one would expect women in Sri Lanka to be actively involved in politics on a local and national level, holding positions of political power. Even more so, considering that
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Sri Lanka’s economy had an annual percentage growth of 6,5% from 2003-2012, the labor force rates among men and women distinguish. Even though the female population (51,14%) is a bit higher than the male, equal chances in the labor market are not preexisting. With a total labor force of 53,6% in January 2015 and an employment rate of 95,8% Sri Lanka’s economy is still increasing. But on the other hand the participation rate of women in the labor market didn’t increased in the last years. It even decreased from
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Psychopathy is clinically related to criminal or sexual brutality and it is also commonly known as psychopath, however according to DSM iv criteria the name was changed to ‘’Antisocial Personality Disorder’’. Hanson, Karl and Kelly (2005) stated mostly 90 percent of the time sexual psychopaths are males, yet either gender of sexual psychopaths usually have same characteristics and behaviors. Nevertheless women exhibit lower prevalence of onset symptoms and they present less noticeable dominant and aggressive per
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The feminist movement of Sri Lanka has brought public attention on the issues of women. Sri Lanka being a signatory of many international conventions to protect rights of women, men and children as a result of the pressure of feminist movement in Sri Lanka. However, the main criticism of Sri Lankan feminist movement is that it is a process of elite women rather than a participative process of urban and rural women. This criticism has been challenged on certain extent by the popular politics and social development of Sri
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After the civil war, the government and the armed forces of Sri Lanka has taken the responsibility of recovering, reconstructing and rehabilitating the war affected lives in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country. Since 2009, Sri Lankan army has been emerged as the heroes that saved the country and the people including the Tamils. Many celebrations have been organized with a lot of respect to appreciate the duty of armed forces in ending civil war and helping the war affected men and women. But the civil society
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In the Netherlands, public transportation is a convenient way to travel for young women. To travel by public transportation is encouraged by the Dutch government since its easy, quick and especially safe. However, unfortunately in Sri Lanka, this is not the case. Especially women are often victims of sexual harassment in public transportation. Sexual harassment constitutes “harassment of a sexual nature using assault, criminal force, or words or actions which causes annoyance to the person being harassed”(Penal C
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In Sri Lanka abortion is illegal under the Penal code of 1883. The only exception to the rule is in case the mother’s life is in danger. Only under this circumstance a doctor is allowed to abort the child to save the life of the mother. In all other situations someone who deliberately causes a woman to miscarriage a child faces up to three years of imprisonment and/or payment of a fine. A woman that decides to end her pregnancy by abortion faces the same sentences. However in daily life, abortions do take place illega
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