Providing sanitary towels to school girls Opposition Leader welcomes Cabinet decision

Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa flanked by MPs Talatha Athukorala (left) and Rohini Kaviratne (right) at the press conference where he welcomed the Government decision to provide sanitary towels free of charge to school girls in grade six and above. Pic by Kushan Pathiraja   

By Yohan Perera   

Whilst welcoming the Cabinet decision to provide sanitary towels to school girls of grade six and above, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday said he is happy that the Government had decided to accept that the same pledge he made during the Presidential Elections and General Elections was ultimately correct.  

 Mr. Premadasa told a press conference that the Government must implement it as soon as possible.   
“I was laughed at when I made the pledge that I shall provide sanitary towels to all women in the country free of charge during the Presidential Elections. However I am glad to notice that those who ridiculed me had finally accepted that I was correct, “Mr. Premadasa said.   
“However I would like to suggest to the Government that these products should be given free of charge to all women as soon as possible. Sri Lanka should follow Scotland where providing of sanitary towels free of charge was extended to all women after providing school girls initially,” he added.   

“We will not let this Cabinet decision be swept under the carpet and will remind the Government of it continuously,” he also said.   

SJB MP Rohini Kaviratne who also participated in the press conference said it is advisable to provide sanitary towels to girls who are in lower classes as there is a tendency for the smaller girls to reach puberty earlier because of their food intake.   MP Talatha Athukorala who elaborated on women’s issues notified that there is no Ministry of Women’s Affairs today. “There is no ministry for women to look into the issues they face today. No one has addressed the difficult situation which girls in apparel factories face as most people look at them in a negative manner after the emergence of the Brandix cluster. No one had addressed this issue to date,” she said.