|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 18 July 2004 |
 |
|
 |
News |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Few women MPs: Political system to blame by Indunil Thenuwara Although women play a leading role in Sri Lanka's political sphere, their representation in Parliament and other governing bodies has been low due to the failure of our political system, Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said. He was speaking at the 10th anniversary celebrations of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which coincided with the commemoration of United Nations Development Fund's World Population Day. Despite discrepancies in the political arena, Lankan women were in the forefront in almost all other sectors. Women's empowerment, a prime ICPD goal, was not a new concept here but what was needed was the further strengthening of this concept. "The ICPD has now branched out of its initial policy of population control into other areas including women's and children's rights and human rights," the Minister said. The ICPD was formed in 1994 in Cairo, Egypt where a landmark agreement was signed by the 179 participant countries. This agreement, the Programme of Action on Population and Development, altered the basic policies governing population control, giving a broader mandate reflecting the growing awareness that population, poverty, patterns of production and consumption and environment are closely inter-connected. Sri Lanka, an ICPD participant, has taken many steps over the last decade in moving its population policies and programs towards meeting reproductive health needs including family planning services, improving women's equality, equity and empowerment and in promoting sustainable development. Dr. A. T. P. L. Abeykoon, Director, Population Division, Healthcare Ministry briefed the audience on ICPD's plan of action in Sri Lanka. In the area of Population, Development and Poverty, he listed Sri Lanka's achievements as the declining population growth rate, increasing economic growth, improved nutritional status of children, increase in life expectancy, fertility rate declining to replacement level and the dependency rate falling to its lowest. "In the Reproductive Health arena, contraceptive prevalence rate has increased from 66 per cent in 1993 to 70 per cent in 2002, access to family planning has widened, reproductive health elements have been introduced through Well Women clinics, NGOs and the private sector are involved and there is more public awareness on the issues. Regarding Women's Empowerment, the Women's Charter was introduced in 1993, the Penal Code was amended to enhance punishment for sex offences while our women are far ahead of their South Asian counterparts in the health and education sectors," he said. However, Dr. Abeykoon said, many challenges were yet to be overcome. Regarding Population, Development and Poverty, although the population had declined, there were significant differences in certain sectors, the ageing population was on the rise and urbanisation would have a negative impact on the environment and health sector. In Reproductive Health, there was an unmet need of eight per cent for population control services which was the highest in the estate sector, induced abortions were the third highest cause of maternal deaths, there was wide prevalence of traditional contraceptive methods, the sterilisation rate had declined and adolescents and unmarried youth lacked access to information, counselling and services. "Such issues could be overcome by increasing male responsibility, strengthening co-operation among the various parties involved and increasing women's participation in decision-making," Dr. Abeykoon said. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
