by Priyan De Silva in The Island, Mar 17, 2023
Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies Manjula Gajanayake says political parties are bent on preventing the election of women local councils.Gajanayake said the sitting female councillors were not allowed to contest their wards and they were placed on the additional list or made to contest other wards or simply denied nominations.
Executive Director of the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) Mannas Makeen told The Island that women could not contest elections due to lack of internal democracy of political parties. He added that if not for the 25 per cent women’s quota, there would have been less than 6 per cent female representation in local authorities.
Chairman of the ECSL Nimal Punchihewa, addressing participants at an International Women’s Day celebration on Tuesday, said the fundamental rights of females in Sri Lanka were being violated. He said that the fundamental principle of democracy was majority rule and individual rights but reiterated 53% of Sri Lankans were women.
https://island.lk/political-parties-all-out-to-keep-females-out-of-local-authorities-polls-monitors/
