The constitution of Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan constitution guarantees gender equality between men and women in article 12, "Right to equality":

 “1. All persons are equal before the law and are entitled to the equal protection of the law.;

  1. No citizen shall be discriminated against on the grounds of race, religion, language, caste, sex, political opinion, place of birth or any one of such grounds (...);
  2. No person shall, on the grounds of race, religion, language, caste, sex or any one of such grounds, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or conditions with regard to access to shops, public restaurants, hotels, places of public entertainment and places of public worship of his own religion.;
  3. Anything in this Article shall not prevent special measures being taken by law, subordinate legislation or executive action where necessary for the sole purpose of the protection or advancement of disadvantaged or underpriviliged individuals or groups including those that are disadvantaged or underpriviliged because of ethnicity, gender, sex, age or mental or physical disability.”

Facts

  • Gender equality is a human right and deals with social justice. It refers to equal rights, opportunities and responsibilities for both women and men.
     

  • One of the many forms of gender discrimination is violence towards women. One in three women worldwide is a victim of physical or sexual violence.

  • In 1931, women in Sri Lanka were given the right to vote, which means that it  was one of the first Asian countries in which this right was implemented.

  • Women in parliament and local community councils are in the minority.

  • Child marriage is one of the results of gender inequality and the idea that girls and women are lower-ranked to boys and men. These forced marriages also happen in Sri Lanka. In 2006, 12% of the girls were married before the age of 18 and 2% before the age of 15.

  • Worldwide, nearly 1 in 4 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 are neither employed nor in education or training – compared to 1 in 10 boys.

  • In Sri Lanka, girls have as much right to education as boys. There are not many inequalities between girls and boys in both primary and secondary education. In fact, research shows that more girls attend secondary education and universities than boys.

  • Women's unemployment rates are more than double than those of men at all age levels. Their chances of getting, for example, a governmental job or a management position are limited due to their gender.

  • In order to change the inequalities and to ensure that women gain more control and power over their own lives, it is important that men are included in this process of empowerment.