The State against Sri Lanka’s migrant mothers

by Melani Manel Perera

The authorities are discussing new legislation to contain the emigration of mothers with children under five years of age. But the Church proposes: instead of limitations the government should offer work alternatives to keep them in their home country.

Colombo (AsiaNews) – The Sri lankan can and must do more to help mothers find work in there country, so as they are not forced to emigrate abroad. This is the appeal from the Catholic Community following the announcement of new government regulations on female emigration abroad.

March 8 last the Minister of Child development and Women’s Empowerment, Ms. Sumedha G. Jayasena, reported that “the Cabinet has granted its approval to prohibit of migration for employment, of mothers having children under the age of five years”. Mothers with children with over five years will have to submit themselves to a recommendation from a Committee headed by Divisional Secretary to the effect that appropriate arrangements have been made with regard to the children before they could be allowed to leave abroad for employment. According to the Minister these limitations on migration “will ensure the welfare of children who are left alone without the warmth of their mother’s love”.

Sri Lanka Church has welcomed the political authority’s interest in the problem of migrant mothers, doping that initiatives do not remain “mere words on paper”. At the same time however some Catholic leaders ask for more to be do more to protect “all mothers”. Sr. Immaculate of Good Shepherd Congregation maintains that “Every child needs his mother’s affection, care and protection not only under five years’ children”. “The government needs to introduce some alternatives for those mothers who are seeking opportunities for foreign employment rather than imposing such limitations; there are many opportunities for self employment for women in our country which can be started with small quantities of initial capital”.