Protecting Women- The Greatest Contributor To Our Nation’s Economy

By Asanga Abeyagoonasekera –May 26, 2015

Asanga Abeygoonasekera

“We must tell girls their voices are important.” Malala Yousafzai

Women are among the highest contributors to our economy. To the Sri Lankan economy, women contribute from US$ 6billion worth of foreign remittance. A large proportion of female domestic workers based out of the country work tirelessly to earn a living and provide education and support to their households back at home. Women’s contribution to the domestic textile industry which largely contributes to export earnings is an aspect Sri Lanka can boast of. Further, in a traditional aspect of Sri Lankan economy, women’s contribution to the Ceylon Tea industry is remarkable. Despite three decades of civil war producing 40,000 war widows, these women bolster on as the bread winners of all these families in Sri Lanka.

With such sacrifices and achievements continuously being made by the women of Sri Lanka, the savage acts of the recent past shed light on the true situation in some women’s treatment in the country. An 18-year-old school girl in Pungudutivu of the Northern Province was gang raped and murdered in the most brutal of ways. This act is a lasting disgrace upon our society. It is not the first of cases as our nation has a high percentage of rape and other forms of sexual abuse.

The reaction of the community was transmitted through the world. One hundred and thirty protesters were arrested during the demonstrations, police officers transferred and now detectives of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are between investigations to finalise whether or not anti national groups played a role in incidents.Read More