Let’s come together to support our sisters who have raised their voice for women’s rights and against discrimination
The constitutional reform process has initiated important discussions about legal reform. Among them is the need to better protect women’s rights and reform laws that discriminate against women. As women leaders who have worked for more than 25 years on women’s rights, we welcome this focus.
We call for changing laws that discriminate against us, including the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, the Thesavalamai, Land Development Ordinance, the Vagrants Ordinance and sections 365 and 365A of the penal code.
In August this year, our sisters from the Women Action Network (WAN) made recommendations on reforming discriminatory laws to the Fundamental Rights Parliamentary Sub-Committee of the Constitutional Assembly of Sri Lanka. However, since then they have been vilified and attacked in several public meetings by some Muslim community leaders. These speeches have also been widely circulated through social media.
We are saddened and shocked that such dedicated women leaders committed to advance the well-being of women and their communities have been attacked in this way.
Article 16 (1) of the current constitution should be repealed and the constitution should ensure that all citizens are should be treated equally. “Article 12 of the current constitution guarantees equal rights to men and women and non-discrimination. However, article 16 (1) protects many laws that discriminate against women and the marginalised citizen”. Reform personal laws that discriminate against women. · Protect all Sri Lankans by enforcing a minimum age of marriage of 18 years for all citizens regardless of religion or ethnicity. · Remove the practice of dowry/kaikuli, which has led to coercion and harassment of married women and their families as well as domestic violence. · Appoint women Quazis to ensure women’s access to equal justice in Quazi courts. Ensuring women can become Quazis, adjudicators, marriage registrars, and members of the Board of Quazis is to recognise Muslim women as equal Sri Lankan citizens. Exlcuding women from these positions, which are publicly funded also amounts to state-sanctioned discrimination against Sri Lankan Muslim women.
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We reiterate some of the demands made by our sisters –
We strongly support our sisters from WAN in their struggle and demand respect for the dignity and safety of all those working for women’s rights and well-being.
Women and girls face much violence because of discriminatory laws. To prevent such violence against women and girls, and to ensure accountability for such violence, these laws must be reformed.
We call on everyone to come together to ensure that such public attacks do not recur, and that the dignity of women leaders who are at the forefront of these struggles are upheld.
Women’s Coalition for Disaster Management
(Batticaloa women’s network)
We, the undersigned, endorse this statement and support the call to reform the laws discriminatory towards women.
Individuals
- Abha Bhaiya – India
- Afkar Fazil – Student
- Afrah Niwas – Univ. of Peradeniya
- Ashila Niroshi – Standup Movement
- Ashwiny .B
- Asma Azhar – Student, University of Peradeniya
- Ayesha Kidwai – Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
- Azra Wazeer – Temporary Lecturer, University of Peradeniya
- Bhavani Fonseka
- Binda Pandey
- Bisliya Bhutto – Kilinochchi
- Gowthaman
- Cayathri D
- Damairia Pakpahan – Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- Deanne uyangoda
- Dinushika Dissanayake
- Minna Thaheer – Policy Advisor/Activist & Researcher
- Camena Guneratne
- V. Rukmini Rao – India
- Dyuti
- Elankovan S.C.C
- Elangeswary Arunasalam
- Farhana Raheem – Legal Assistant
- V.Yogeswaran
- Hana Nayeem – Student
- Harini Amarasuriya
- Hashtag Generation
- Hana Ibrahim
- Hisham Muhammed – Management Accountant
- Huriyyah Fahim Hameed, Assistant Researcher
- Iman Fahim Hameed – Research and Lab Management
- Indrani Rajendran- Independent Consultant Colombo
- Kamani Jinadasa
- Kamla Bhasin – India
- Karththiha Thananjan
- Kamayani Bali Mahabal feminist and human rights activist, India
- Kalyani Suntharalingam
- Kapoor, Women’s rights activist, Kolkata, India
- Kumudini Samuel – Women and Media Collective
- Koalisi Perempuan Indonesia
- Kuhanithy Kuhanesan
- Kayathry Yasothanan
- Kandeepan
- Letchumanan Kamaleswary
- Mangaleswary Shanker – Attorney-at-Law
- Malathi de Alwis
- Mariam Siddeeque
- Marisa de Silva
- Mariam Muhammed – Housewife
- Mariam Wadood – Attorney-at-Law
- Mumthaz Ansar – Temporarily Instructor ELTU
- Muhammed Naufer – Accountant
- A. Nuhman formerly Professor of Tamil, Univ. of Peradeniya
- Paba Deshapriya
- Navaranjini Nadarajah Sureka
- Prematha Namasivayam
- Rafia Gulani Women’s Rights Activist
- Rahini . B
- Rajany Rajeswary – Feminist, Jaffna
- Ranitha Gnanarajah – Attorney-at-Law
- Ramzi Shahabdeen – Accountant and Business Analyst
- Rajaluxmi Kandaiyah
- Rita Manchanda South Asia Forum for Human Rights
- Ruki Fernando
- R Vasuky
- Sarala Emmanuel
- Sara Wazeer – Student, Sherwood Girls’ College, Ambatenna
- Sankhitha Gunaratne
- Saba Ismail from Aware Girls
- Saadia Haq – Human rights journalist and feminist, Pakistan
- Saswati ghosh- HOD and ASSOCIATE PROF, Economics. City College. Kolkata
- Seethey Swari.S
- Shanthi Sivanesan
- Shahul Hameed Hasbullah – Formerly Prof. in Geography,University of Peradeniya
- Shamra Wazeer – Student, Loyal Ladies’ College, Polgolla
- Shamil Mansoor – Chartered Management Accountant
- Shanaz Mansoor – Accountant
- Shafani Riyas – Preschool Teacher
- Shyamani Hettiarachchi
- Sitralega Maunaguru
- Sivamohan Sumathy University of Peradeniya
- Sritharuni Sritharan
- Sriranjini Thiyagarajah
- Nichola Emmanuel
- Sumika Perera -Coordinator, Women’s Resource Centre
- Sumika Perera -Coordinator, Women’s Resource Centre
- Suhanthini Thiventhiram- Kilinochchi
- Suthaharan Kanagaretnam
- Renuka
- Rahini
- Ithayarani
- Loganayaki
- Tasneem Hamead
- Devarany
- Thavachchelvi Rasan
- Thavachchelvi
- Udeni Thewarapperuma –Attorney At Law
- Uma Chakravarti
- Vanie Saimon
- Vasanthakala Pratheepan
- Vasuki Jeyashankar – Women’s Rights Activist
- Venushri Puvaneswaran
- Vijitha Ehamparanathan – Trincomalee
- Vijayaluxmi Seharuban
- Zaheer Mohamed- Hotel Manager, Grange Hotel, London
- Zulhama Fazil – Student
Organisations/networks
- Affected Women Forum – Akkaraipattu
- Beyond Beijing Committee Nepal
- Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA)
- Centre for Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Trincomalee
- Gramya Resource Centre for Women – India
- Joint Women’s Programme – India
- Mannar Women’s Development Federation
- Northern Women Action Advocacy Network(NWAAN) – Vavuniya
- Programme on Women’s Economic Social and Cultural Rights (PWESCR) – India
- Peshraft Foundation for Human Rights, Pakistan.
- SAFA for ESCR , South Asian Feminist Alliance
- Suriya Women’s Development Centre, Batticaloa
- The Grassrooted Trust
- Women In Need
- Women’s Coalition for Disaster Management
- Youth Advocacy Network Sri Lanka
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