GRASS ROOTS LEVEL MESSAGE NEEDED TO DISCOURAGE HARASSING: MINISTER

Health Minister Maithripla Sirisena came down hard on violence on women at public institutions yesterday and said it was extremely difficult to find a government department, ministry or semi-government institution where superior officers do not abuse fellow women colleagues or female employees.

Delivering the keynote address at the one-day workshop themed ‘Gender based Violence – Facing the Challenge’ organised by the Health Ministry in collaboration with the WHO at the Galadari Hotel, Colombo, Minister Sirisena questioned whether Sri Lanka had been able to reduce gender based violence though the topic was extremely popular and workshops, seminars and awareness programmes were held round the year, around the country.

My presumption is that despite many a programme, we are still much afar from controlling gender based violence. This is the truth though we are not ready to admit it

“My presumption is that despite many a programme, we are still much afar from controlling gender based violence. This is the truth though we are not ready to admit it. Violence on women cannot be controlled only by having a seminar or workshop attended by a few well dressed people held in a hotel in Colombo. The message must go to the grass roots level and discourage men from harass- ing their opposite sex,” he emphasised.

Minister Sirisena said it was a well known secret that women were subjected to various harassments including sexual violence at every state institution at different level and different places. Women employees come under sexual harassment of their peers, fellow employees, colleagues and senior officers. At some institutions, a female employee cannot get her promotion, pay increase, transfer or even leave without paying a sexual gratuity to a senior officer.