Male-dominant presidential run continues

- No female candidates this time

- Only three women have ever contested the presidential election

- Tally of presidential hopefuls reaches 40 in 2024

Colombo, August 15 (Daily Mirror) - With the 2024 presidential election getting nearer, Sri Lanka is once again seeing a male-dominated race with no female candidates stepping forward to contest.

Despite legal provisions for gender equality, no women have stepped forward as candidates this year.

Reflecting on the past, only four women have ever run for presidential election in Sri Lanka. Srima Dissanayake, widow of the late Gamini Dissanayake, and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga both ran in 1994 with Kumaratunga ultimately becoming the first female president of Sri Lanka. The third woman, academic Ajantha Perera, contested in 2019, but failed to make a notable impact. Out of the trio, only Kumaratunga managed to shatter the glass ceiling, serving as president twice.

Sirimavo Bandaranaike also contested the 1988 presidential election, but she was defeated by Ranasinghe Premadasa.

Accordingly, the 1994 presidential election was the only election in Sri Lanka’s history where both main party candidates were women. Nevertheless, the 1994 election came amid unprecedented circumstances where President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was about enter the presidential race was assassinated by the LTTE in 1993. With his successor, Prime Minister D.B Wijetunga opting not to run in the election, Gamini Dissanayake was selected as the United National Party’s candidate. However, tragedy struck again when Dissanayake was also assassinated during the campaign, forcing his wife, Srima to step into the race, where she faced off against Kumaratunga.

In this context, the 2024 presidential election with no women are on the ballot, it raises concerns about the state of gender equality in Sri Lankan politics.

Speaking to Daily Mirror, Former Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya weighed in on the issue, attributing the lack of female candidates to the deeply entrenched male-dominated political culture.

“There are ample opportunities for women to take the lead in politics, but it has been an uphill battle due to male-dominant party politics, especially since 2005,” he remarked.

When asked about the role of the Election Commission in encouraging female participation, Deshapriya was candid in his response, stating that the Commission lacks the authority to promote gender equality in political candidacy.

Sri Lanka acknowledges the value of women's equal involvement in politics and hence, it is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. But the political landscape of the nation today presents a quite different picture. Even while the law guarantees women equal rights and opportunities, in reality, women are still viewed as second-class citizens. Women in Sri Lankan politics are frequently marginalized due to the patriarchal attitude that rules the country, even though there are constant conversations on women's rights on forums like International Women's Day.The statistics are telling: women’s representation in Sri Lanka’s Parliament stands at a mere 5.8%, with no representation in provincial councils and only 1.9% in local authorities.

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the absence of female candidates is a reminder of the long road ahead for gender equality in Sri Lankan politics.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has announced that 40 individuals have paid deposits to run in the 2024 presidential election. This includes 22 candidates from recognized political parties, 1 from an unrecognized party, and 17 independent candidates nominated by voters.