Strengthened co-operation for women's rights in Sri Lanka

‘We started at a time when awareness of women's rights was very low, and our work has since evolved to meet the needs of society,’ says Director Shiranee Mills, who recently returned to the organisation after working with international development agencies and as a school principal in northern Sri Lanka.

WERC has a long history of working with women affected by the civil war in Sri Lanka. Many women have lost their husbands and sons in the war and have been forced to take responsibility for the entire household.
‘Our work has focused on providing these women with training and support to enable them to participate in society and politics,’ says Shiranee Mills.

Education and political participation

While much progress has been made, challenges remain. Patriarchal structures still characterise all aspects of society, from the education system to legislation. WERC has therefore also been a driving force in empowering women in politics by training local women leaders. The 25 per cent quota for women in local politics has enabled many of them, straight out of training, to have a platform from which they can pursue their pet issues in their communities.

Access to sexuality education and SRHR

Another important area for the organisation is sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Although contraceptives are available in Sri Lanka, there is still a high stigma surrounding their use. Schools offer only limited sex education, and many teachers feel uncomfortable teaching the subject.
‘We recognise that there is a huge need to improve education around SRHR. In many schools, there is just one single lesson on sexual health, and because teachers lack training and often feel uncomfortable with the subject, they sometimes skip it altogether. Instead, students are encouraged to read the chapter on their own without guidance or discussion,’ says Shiranee.

As part of the collaboration with RFSU, the organisation plans to educate young people in plantation communities in Sri Lanka's hinterland about SRHR issues.
‘We will work through the schools to reach the students, teachers and women development officers in the community. We hope this will have a long-term impact and leave behind materials, methods and knowledge that can be used for a long time to come,’ explains Shiranee.

Religious leaders and change

A key entry point for bringing about change in society is religious leaders. Sri Lanka is a country with strong religious traditions and WERC is therefore working to train religious leaders on gender issues and to create an understanding of the importance of peace and reconciliation.
‘We started with the Christian church and have now begun to bring together leaders from different religions to discuss how they can contribute to gender equality and social change,’ says Shiranee.

Colleagues in other civil society organisations have also benefited from WERC's training.
‘Many organisations lack an understanding of how gender equality affects their work. We have trained over 65 organisations on how to integrate a gender perspective into their projects and activities,’ says Shiranee.

Text: Ulrika Hammar
Photo: WERC