Prez wants Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Bill soon

• Women parliamentarians requested the President not to reduce the existing 25% quota for women in the provincial elections 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to finalise the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Bill within the first six months of next year, a statement from the parliamentary media unit said.   

The President said it while presiding over the special meeting held at Parliament recently to review the current progress and future activities of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus.  MP Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle who chairs the Caucus said that the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment and the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has jointly initiated the preliminary work of this Bill.  State Minister of Women and Child Affairs Geetha Kumarasinghe and other MPs brought to the attention of the President the concerns related to women and children and the need to enact policies and laws in this regard.   

The President instructed the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to prepare the preliminary plans related to the establishment of a separate agency for women and gender together with the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment and assured that it will be established soon. Furthermore, the President emphasised the importance of carrying out these activities with the coordination of all relevant institutions in the formulation of laws and policies.   

He also instructed the officials to provide foreign training for those involved in the scope of work related to women and children’s affairs through the embassies if needed.   

Also, at the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of independence, the President also instructed the women parliamentarians to organise a series of programmes on women’s and children’s rights as well as gender equality.   
Whilst extending a special gratitude for the presence of the President at the meeting of the Caucus, (Dr.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Member of Parliament and chair of the Caucus also informed the President on the current progress of the Caucus.