An initiative to up-skill women in unpopular sectors

People’s Forum for Reforms, a civil movement, was launched in May and the picture shows participants at the event.

The People’s Forum for Reforms, a civil movement launched in May 2024, envisions a state where people would be empowered to shape the country’s future. With a mission to spearhead political, social and economic reforms, the Forum gathered over the weekend to bring about proposals to empower women employed in various sectors. The event witnessed the participation of Presidential Candidates and representatives of various political parties. 

The Forum observes a dearth in women’s empowerment despite the fact that women constitute 52% of the country’s population. Many women are employed in the informal sector; baking cake, selling porridge or lunch packets by the roadside to put food on the table. But as mothers, they have a bigger responsibility in today’s society. Therefore, civil movements such as the People’s Forum have started questioning the state on various social indicators such as a child’s safety when commuting in public transport, access to healthy and quality food, opportunities for participation, employment opportunities depending on their studies, vulnerability to drugs and other risk factors. 

Several objectives at the recently concluded meeting included identifying job opportunities for women in lower rungs of the society, training women based on their skill levels, establishing standards for each of these skills, measures to prevent discrimination against skilled female employees, issuance of certificates for women looking after children, elderly persons, female chefs and drivers and domestic workers, establishing a regulatory body to improve the demand for domestic workers in Sri Lanka, written agreements to ensure dignified labor, introduction of ETF schemes and possibility of issuing bank loans depending on labor contracts among others. 

“We are an organization comprising professionals, academics, intellectuals and entrepreneurs trying to introduce policies which are missing at the moment,” said Sharmila Gonawala, Executive Committee member at the People’s Forum for Reforms. “For last week’s discussion we invited women from grassroots organisations who don’t get much visibility in the political sphere. Women politicians would campaign for themselves without paying much attention to issues faced by other women. There are domestic workers, caregivers and so on who don’t have the recognition to obtain a bank loan for instance. They have nothing for themselves when they grow old. So why can’t we have some authority and recognise these professions, give them proper training, enter into an agreement to obtain a loan from a bank? Such measures would enhance the social safety around these women. If they are given proper training there would be a demand for these job opportunities and they will not be abused and harassed in their workplaces,” she said. 

Gonawala further said that up-skilling women engaged in foreign employment, tea and garment industries for example would be an added advantage in their careers. “Women in these sectors indirectly contribute in bringing foreign exchange to the country. But what is being done in terms of their welfare other than getting this revenue? They should have an insurance scheme for helping the country to revive its economy in addition to a retirement scheme. But legislators haven’t given priority to these matters,” Gonawala added. 

She claimed that despite Sri Lanka having a majority of women in its population statistics, none of the parties has considered fielding a women candidate for the upcoming Presidential Elections. “If we take Sirimavo Bandaranaike for example, she introduced non-aligned policies, initiated the Republican Constitution, a five year policy which the country didn’t take forward, introduced a manufacturing economy and several other initiatives. So we need women with skills and leadership qualities. Already there are women taking leadership roles in women’s committees and community organisations in villages. For us to bring them up, why hasn’t a single women’s affairs minister recommended a political academy to up-skill these women to help improve their political knowledge,” she questioned. 

These matters are being raised to all politicians irrespective of political interests or affiliations. “We urge them to give a serious ear to these women and their proposals. These women can go back to their political parties and voice for their rights while we would take the initiative to lobby for these proposals,” Gonawala affirmed.

As such the Forum plans to continue this series of discussions and meetings to alert political parties and candidates about issues faced by women at the grassroots level and bring about a level playing field for women in unrecognized sectors of employment.