{"id":19120,"date":"2013-03-26T12:36:50","date_gmt":"2013-03-26T16:36:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=19120"},"modified":"2013-03-26T12:36:50","modified_gmt":"2013-03-26T16:36:50","slug":"womens-affairs-minister-karaliyadda-condemned-for-anti-women-statement-belittling-leadership-capability-of-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=19120","title":{"rendered":"Women’s Affairs Minister Karaliyadda Condemned for Anti-Women Statement Belittling Leadership Capability of Women"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Text of Joint statement signed by Activists and Organizations working for Women’s rights Condemning Views Expressed by Child Development and Women’s Affairs minister Tissa Karaliyadda on 11th March 2013, regarding women in leadership)<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the 11th March the Minister of Child Development and Women’s Affairs, Mr. Tissa Karaliyadda, stated that \u201cwomen are incapable of performing duties of the head chair.\u201d He went on to state that \u201cwhen a woman is given authority in a department or a ministry they tend to suppress other women are under their administration out of jealousy. This situation will lead to inefficiency in that particular organization. Hence always the main chair should be given to a male and the assistant should be a female\u201d (Source: http:\/\/www.mirror.lk\/news\/5843-a-male-should-always-be-the-chairperson). The same was circulated through a mobile phone message alert system. It has also generated several discussions in the cyber space and a few news agencies have republished his statement. In past too, the minister had made similar claims (Mawbima, 12 November 2012, Divaina, 15 March 2013). In such a context, we issue this condemning statement. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

We as activists and organizations working for women\u2019s rights strongly condemn the Minister\u2019s statement. It is extremely distressing to learn his beliefs regarding women, their capabilities and their place in society at a time when where there is so much work to be done towards reconciliation and development of women and their equality. The Minister\u2019s statement degrades women\u2019s activism and their struggle for equality in the last four decades. In a democracy like Sri Lanka the rights of men and women must be respected equally, and they must all be provided with equal opportunity; and this principle is enshrined in the Constitution. However, the Minister\u2019s statement contains no notion of this right to equality. <\/p>\n

Leadership capabilities depend on every person\u2019s skills and abilities. There is no scientific research proving that men make better leaders than women. When women started struggling for equality in the 18th century similar claims were made regarding their inability to lead, their weaknesses, men\u2019s superior capabilities. Such allegations have been proven wrong time and again through research, experience, and as well as by the equality discourse and women\u2019s struggles. <\/p>\n

Our own country presents many examples disproving such claims. The first democratically elected woman prime minister was Sri Lankan, and several NGO\u2019s and Corporation are headed by women. At the international level a number of Sri Lankan women have been active in making, as well as enforcing, law and policy, just one example being Sri Lankan women\u2019s active participation at the Beijing Platform in 1995. The ratification and signing of the CEDAW Convention was due to the activism of women and so was the passing of the 2005 bill concerning domestic violence. <\/p>\n

We women find it contemptible that at a time when the world celebrates Women\u2019s Day and acknowledges the rights of women, that the Minister (of Child Development and Women\u2019s Affairs!) should make such a statement. <\/p>\n

As a result of their activism, women are no longer seen as second class citizens, or weaker humans. The time when women\u2019s skills and abilities were exploited without credit being given, is now history. Today women\u2019s opinions and participation in all walks of life are welcomed. Several movements have achieved their goals with women as leaders with men and women participating equally. <\/p>\n

At a time when women\u2019s leadership is being encouraged the Minister of Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Affairs should be one who encourages and supports such initiatives. Instead, the Minister has created doubt about the Sri Lankan government\u2019s initiatives regarding women\u2019s right-based development and security. He seems unaware of the work women do at the village level as leaders of Women Rural Development Societies (WRDS) which are structures set up by the government. It appears to us that he has neither understanding of women\u2019s rights nor knowledge of his own government\u2019s policies concerning them. It is because such sexist and patriarchal beliefs exist that we insist that men who do not believe in equality should not head such a Ministry. <\/p>\n

The Minister\u2019s statement not only encourages inequality and sexism but also shocks and insults all those who work for equality in this country. Time and again we have heard ministers make degrading statements about women. However it is pertinent to note that women are the primary revenue earners of this country working as maids in foreign countries and as garment factory workers and tea pluckers within Sri Lanka. While women are still treated unequally in many sectors, Sri Lanka continues to gain fame and wealth due to the work women do. <\/p>\n

As women who are part of the women\u2019s movement of Sri Lanka, and as men who believe in equality between men and women, we can no longer accept these patriarchal beliefs. As people who raise our voices for women\u2019s equality we demand that statements made by the Minister must be in line with principles of equality. As a Minister responsible for ensuring State measures and policies promoting the equality of women he cannot at any time dismiss women\u2019s equality in such a manner. We demand that the Minister retracts his statement and apologizes for demeaning women in such a manner. Moreover, he should resign if he is incapable of fulfilling the role of the Child Development and Women\u2019s Affairs Ministry. <\/p>\n

Endorsed by:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Affected Women\u2019s Forum, Akkaraipattu
\nCentre for Social Concern
\nJaffna Women\u2019s Development Centre
\nLaw and Society Trust
\nMannar Women\u2019s Development Federation
\nMullaithivu Women\u2019s Development and Rehabilitation Federation
\nMuslim Women Development Trust
\nNational Peace Council
\nPoint Pedro Institute of Development
\nRural Development Federation
\nWomen\u2019s Action Network
\nAbdul Kadar Uwais, Social Worker
\nAnberia Haniffa
\nAnomaa Rajakaruna
\nB. Gowthaman
\nBhavani Fonseka
\nChitravel Ithayarani, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nChulani Kodikara
\nD. Cayathri, Feminist Activist
\nFathima Bisliya, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nFathima Rameeza, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nFathima Sahani, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nGuna, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nI. Sujanthini, Female Three-wheel Driver, Jaffna
\nJ. Jeyaprabha, Administrative Officer, Wholistic Centre, Jaffna
\nJansila Majeed, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nJinosini, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nJuweiriya Uwais, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nK. Maaduri
\nK. Mahalaxmy
\nK. Rajeswary, Coordinator, FRIENDS
\nK. Usajini, Woman\u2019s Rights Activist
\nKrishna Velupillai, Concerned Citizen
\nKuhanithi Kunachandran, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nM. Niroja
\nMalathy Manoharan, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nN. Paraneetharan
\nP. N. Singham
\nP. Nalini, Treasurer, Jaffna District Pengal Samaasam
\nPriya Rajmohan
\nPriya Thangarajah, Feminist Activist
\nRajany Chandrasekaram, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nRajany Rifath, Student of Senkuntha College
\nA.\tRojan
\nS. Suganthi, CORE
\nS. Sumangali, Member, FRIENDS
\nS. Tharsha
\nSathiq Sulfiya, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nSharmila Hanifa, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nSheila Richards
\nShreen Saroor, Human Rights Activist
\nSuharsh Ratnam, Lawyer, Jaffna
\nSuyamenmai Ondriyam, Alambil
\nT. Premaja, District Coordinator, 4U, Jaffna
\nT. Sangeetha, Women\u2019s Rights Activist, Thavadi
\nT. Sumathy, Programme Coordinator, CORE
\nT. Tharshika, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nUshananthini, Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nVanie Simon, Women\u2019s Rights Activi<\/em><\/p>\n

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(Text of Joint statement signed by Activists and Organizations working for Women’s rights Condemning Views Expressed by Child Development and Women’s Affairs minister Tissa Karaliyadda on 11th March 2013, regarding women in leadership) On the 11th March the Minister of Child Development and Women’s Affairs, Mr. Tissa Karaliyadda, stated that \u201cwomen are incapable of performing …<\/p>\n

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