by Melani Manel Perera

A seminar organised by the Women's Action for Social Justice highlights the difficulties still facing the country, delivers a petition with 10,000 signatures asking the UN to intervene on behalf of women and workers.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - Women in Sri Lanka continue to be victims of violence, injustice and threats, in complete violation of international human rights conventions signed by the government, this according to the Women's Action Forum for Social Justice (WASJ) that recently held a seminar titled 'Violence against women is violence against humanity'.

At the end of the meeting last Thursday, a petition with 10,000 signatures was handed to the United Nations Office in Colombo, calling for an end to all forms of violence against women.

The purpose of the petition included raising awareness in the country about the problem, said Padma Pushpakanthi, coordinator of the organization Savisthri Women Organisation and one of the seminar participants. "The petition is a first step," she explained, "among workers in farming, fishing, plantation and the apparel industry."

Activists want the United Nations to intervene so that the government will put in place policies that favour peace and respect for life and build a future with positive prospects for women.

According to many of the interventions heard at the seminar, the country's political instability and strife have contributed to the escalation of violence.

Ordinary Sri Lankans, such as fishermen and farmers, especially women and children, continue to be the victim of such violence even after the end of the civil war.

Rape, the most serious form of violence against women, has been on the rise over the past 20 years. "According to police data, 665 cases of rape were reported in 1990 [. . .] and 1636 as of 30 November 2011," Padma Pushpakanthi said.

In some cases, those involved are public figures. In Akuressa, Matara District, a politician reportedly raped a 13-year-old girl.

In her address, trade union leader Menaha Kandasamy focused on the problem of seasonal workers on plantations, who are denied the right to turn to unions.

For her part, Chmila Fernando, coordinator of the Da Bindu Collective, brought to the attention of the participants the problem of workers in the garment industry, where the majority of women are exploited and are prone to illness.

According to her, instead of working eight hours as required by law, these workers work up to 14 hours per day, for a monthly salary that ranges from 15,000 to 17,000 rupees, when it should be at least 27,940 rupees.

In view of the situation, the WASJ wants the government to implement the guidelines found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights signed by Sri Lanka. At the same time, the activists stress that citizens themselves must take the responsibility to check if the authorities do their duty in this regard.

The petition delivered to the United Nations also calls for the country to be governed in a democratic manner, without violence, and a development strategy that respects the environment and human rights, so that people, especially women, can work according to their capabilities and skills, in a humane manner and not as slaves or underpaid workers.

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