‘INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY – 8TH MARCH 2021’ -Theme “a challenging world is an alert world”
Posted on March 5th, 2021

Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel, Former Ambassador to UAE and Israel, President Ambassador’s Forum

First Woman Prime Minister in the world 

First woman you see in life and the best friend thereafter is your mother who is so caring and lovely towards you for ever. Mother is a woman that child loves most and she grooms and controls the world as the woman educating producing and donating the child to the world be a productive citizen to the society and the world over. The entire world revolves round mother who moulds the education and the future of the world having nurtured the children and structured the family to be an example to the world and productive to all. Mother is your first doctor, teacher and the best friend, you will never be deserted. Whether you are poor and a prisoner, mother will not desert you that you will witness in stories around prisons. Respect for your mother increases the value of motherhood and womanhood. You can see mothers in front of prisons awaiting for their children and sensitive stories among mother and prisoner sons with close bonds despite the crimes committed and the way of life. Your sisters come next in life and your beloved wife comes next to your mother who loves cares and takes all burden on your behalf as the protector saviour and the best friend. There is no life without a women in the world who is born to serve care and love with endless unlimited love towards children giving priority in life. Why a women’s day when every day is their day for us with your mother sisters and wife your next mother and the protector. She bears children, feeds you and be in your side till death in any season whether rich or poor. Good wife is a blessing and the best friend and the protector of you your life and property including your children. She will care you and defend at any circumstances even at fault due to excessive love and affection. World respect and cared her and Sri Lankans historically are better in treating women. First Executive Prime Minister is from Sri Lanka (1960) who has been the best Foreign Minister ever having led the non-alignment movement with top world leader and her daughter HE Chandrika Bandaraneika followed suit as the woman Executive President ever in Sri Lanka, with no iota of objections or opposition from the people. We had the historical experience of with Queen ‘’Anula’’ during Anuradhapura era as the first Queen in 47 BC. Women were treated and cared equally historically and traditionally by Sri Lankans with the religious backgrounds on equality to women by Lord ‘Buddha’ by giving equal position in the Buddha ‘Sasana’ after ordination. Sanagamitta” who brought the Boo sapling to us is ever remembered by Sri Lankans and Buddhists world over.

Chief Justice – a woman

In Labour, education, employment, and many productive and popular sectors women in Sri Lanka are in the lead performing may be better than men counterparts. Sri Lanka has shown above any other nation in the globe equality in treating women equally unlike many countries with restrictions to women. Madam Shirani Bannaraneike has been the Chief Justice with many female Supreme Court Judges the Attorney General, Legal Draftsman, and many judicial appointments were held by women with large number of lady lawyers in the Bar. Majority of lawyers are women in excellent positions in public and private sector. Currently there are four sitting members of Parliament in the parliament from either party with the Secretary General once held by a woman having performed the job exceptionally well. These few examples show that women in Sri Lanka Is treated equally and with their performances not second to men in any respect. 70% labour within 52.1% are women in the woman percentage of 67% showing the productivity and the sacrifice made to the family and the nation. Women in the Middle East is treated differently due to religious practices and in the Indian sub continent the situation is no better with domestic violence, ill treatment and unequal treatment despite the fact that  India  produced a lady Prime Minister. 6.7 million Domestic workers are in Arabian countries with 80/% women –many Sri Lankans going through immense hardships from the employers due to lack of training, not having proper contracts and less supervision from the Sri Lankan embassies expected to supervise the wellbeing of the Sri Lankan community. Sri Lanka must take a policy decision on the domestic employment as the families are broken down and the children are at the risk of even from their won relations and friends we come across in media. There are many ladies in detention centres in Embassies and prisons in host countries. Today due to Covid 19 some are homeless in Middle East countries, living in parks and roadside with no proper shelter of income. They were a main source of our income once in place of traditional crops which are now replaced by now kinds or revenue such as apparels, export of crops, tourism, IT field ect. We have sent our mothers and sisters for   employment in Middle East when we need them most for agriculture development and industries and industry which is booming today. It is high time to take a comprehensive plan and a policy decision in the interest of women and children stranded in host countries. Among professionals 64% are women and out of professors and lecturers 336588 are women and men comprises of only 174644 showing the women power. In labour forces too women are in the majority with more females in labour force than men. Women in sports are in high positions with Susanthika” obtaining the Olympic Gold Medal and the women cricket team ever improving. We have women in Police, Army and to our pride there is a women DIG against whom a group of male senior police officers have filed a fundamental rights case. Woman DIG may use the same article to find the way for her success to confirm as the first women DIG Ms Bimshani Jasin Arachchie who has been doing a yeoman service to women and chidden who is now fighting a legal battle hold on to the position. With all these pleasant stories there are unpleasant sides of the plight of women in the areas of family life, domestic violence, on prostitution, rounding up on suspicion to be in massage clinics and offers on prostitution by organized criminals using innocent women in employment and students. FB and social media is playing a pivot role in endangering innocent women as prey for the playful men resulting disasters and break up of marriages. There are 40, thousand prostitutes active with 44% pregnant women undergoing domestic violence in the hands of husbands and boyfriends. These are dark sides or our women who should be credited to bring foreign exchange from employment abroad and here with her sweat is commendable. What about the great women in front lines fighting against Covid with a comparatively good success rate? Sirimova Bandaraneika, Srima dissanayake who attempted to succeed her late husband’s Gamini, Jayanthi Utampala first lady Sri Lankan to reach Mount Everest, Marine de Levera winner of international winner on awards on courage, Otara Gunawardena founder of ODEL, Geetha Illaperuma of Rajagedera Pannipitiya owner of a top restaurant, both top entrepreneurs,  Dr Sudrashani  Fernandopullie State Minister, Dr Seetah Aramabapola State Ministerr, Vijara Chithrasena, Dr Prasenthi Mendis world renowned musician, Mrs Nonis former leader of the House wives Association, Shiranthi Rajapaksa Rosy senanayaka,  Aruni rajapaksa nee Samarawikrama all former beauty Queens, Damayanthi Perera a famous expert of food and hygiene , Indra Ghandi, Marget thather , Angila Markel Lady Shaka Lubna from UAE who visited Sri Lanka with a trade mission are some famous names to be remembered by Sri Lankans on the world women’s day today. Viharamadevi, Queen Kuvani, Somawathis devi, are fondly remembered with late Ruckmini Devi and Malini Fonseka are fondly remembered.

In the west young leave home for independence early in life unlike in Sri Lanka mother insists in living with children until maturity. In Sri Lanka the situation is different. For a Sri Lankan mother child is her child even maturity and it is the duty of the children to look after parents until they peacefully depart, with the strength on the mother as the live wire always. In west mother is seen with flowers on mother’s day in Sri Lanka it is the duty of the children to look after parents which is the strong culture due to the bond created by mother with the family. In Sri Lankan culture and way of life husband is the head of the family but always it is the mother’s word that prevails on all the matters indicating the position held by the woman in the family and the society. Motherhood is the biggest gamble in the world would need to take the child forward to the most beautiful world, and the way  a child is develop can be largely attributed to the role them other plays.

Sri Lankan women were in leading positions at all times in all fields even when the west took long for women to reach the limelight. Adelin Molamura was elected to the Parliament in 1931 when UK was considering to give adult franchise to women. Queen Elizabeth visited Sri Lanka which has been a celebrated event to all Sri Lankans. There were number of world leaders held positions including Sirimova Bandaraneike, Indra Gandi, Magret Thatcher, Vigda Finogdotta Iceland, Angaal Marke Germany, Cillia Johsn Siveaf of  Liberai, are some one time world leaders held the prestigious positions successfully as leading able women. But the situation in Sri Lanka today is sad and pathetic. Elderly women are helpless on roads and ill  equipped home of elders when in the UK there is an excellent scheme in practice with the cooperation of the local bodies and NHS an ideal system to be followed in Sri Lanka. Bitter news on Devi children’s home and the stories on elders in the road and elder homes are worrying.

Today 100 counters celebrates the women’s day for gender equality  seeking equality and against  suppression from families , husbands and oppressions due to family customs such as honour killings in Pakistan and  female circumcision in African countries which are unhealthy  inhuman and cruel. Due to world trends women grouped and organized together and in1908 15000 women marched towards demanding equality, which subsequently y taken over by UN at 65th session on the status of omen. Today women are organized and celebrating the day worldwide. Sri Lankan Embassy in Israel celebrated the women’s day in 2014 Malini Forsake and Geetha Illeperuma” making the speeches on main themes. The theme of the day is a challenged world is an alert world” and we are responsible for our own action. In 2014 Consumer Affairs Authority organized women’s day with the help of Mrs Rajis Nonis and Sri Lanka house wife’s association and it is a pity that women in Sri Lanka is forgotten today suggesting groups to celebrate this at least next year. It is time for women in Sri Lanka to face challenges being alert to the challenges faced by women and the country over on all fronts, there are personal challenges on women by media, society and perpetrators includes employers and people with disturbed abnormalities with abnormal mind-sets thereby a women is to be alert all the time in life and future developments. Let us assist our women including our mother wife and sisters for a prosperous and peaceful life in the successful post covid society. Let us celebrate a better and happier women’s day in 2022 with colours.

One Response to “‘INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY – 8TH MARCH 2021’ -Theme “a challenging world is an alert world””

  1. aloy Says:

    While praising some of the good things done by Mrs. B, like Sirima-Shasthri pact, let us also remember that it was her mistakes by toeing the lines of Marxists that she ruined the country. The set of people who advised were all Colombians like NM, Colvin, Felix – the useless lot that paved the way for JR to come to power. He contested only once, but changed our governing structure to something not seen anywhere else in the world and that includes 13A; we see village thugs fighting among themselves in their well furnished meeting rooms.

    All this suffering and loss of innocent lives is the fault of an uneducated woman from a wealthy family, led by those mentioned above. At least she could have groomed some capable people to take the lead instead of trying to build a dynasty.

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