The Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj - Minister of Women and Child Affairs

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, at the outset I wish to clarify a few matters and respond to some key questions.

¶ 02 First, regarding places to lodge complaints for women subjected to sexual violence: through our Ministry there are two special hotlines for complaints concerning women and children. For women, complaints can be made to 1938 — covering all forms of violence including sexual violence. For children, complaints can be made to 1929. However, there is insufficient public awareness about these support services. We intend to adopt this proposal as a practical initiative and carry out a systematic and broad public campaign. If there are shortcomings — especially language-related issues — we will address them. We acknowledge that when calls come to these numbers, our staff is not sufficient to provide advisory services and responses in Tamil to Tamil-speaking people. Moreover, even though these services operate 24 hours, the number of calls received cannot be fully covered by the officers handling these phone lines in our offices. Proceeding beyond that to full legal processes, we face major staffing constraints. We recognize our officers are performing with great dedication. As a Government, we accept that we must make this a more organized and efficient service.

¶ 03 We also discussed expanding the 860 childcare centre system across Sri Lanka to strengthen women’s participation in the workforce. Around Parliament and the surrounding government institutions, a large number of staff are women. We are taking steps to rectify deficiencies in the day care centre at the “Sethsiripaya” complex and elevate it to a very good standard. Further, within our Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, we discussed the urgent need to establish a day care centre for the children of women in our Parliamentary staff. Under the National Child Protection Authority Act, the NCPA had been regulating day care centres across the country; that function has now been restarted, and we state this with responsibility.

¶ 04 I also wish to speak about the National Commission on Women. The decision to establish a National Fund for Women’s Empowerment should be taken by the Women’s Commission. The Commission is established according to the Constitutional Council’s direction and with the approval of the Hon. President. The Constitutional Council has called for applications for membership of the Commission. The required qualifications and subject areas were notified through press notices and all media. As far as we know, a large number of applications have been received. We expect the Commission will be appointed soon. Thereafter, with the establishment of the Women’s Fund, we can better carry out women’s empowerment activities.

¶ 05 I also wish to address concerns raised by Members from the Northern and Eastern Provinces, and regarding the plantation community. We will take their key concerns into account, including those relating to women-headed households and vulnerable heads of household.

¶ 06 Some have said the current Budget allocations to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs have been reduced. I wish to clarify: in 2023-2024, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs did not exist as a standalone ministry; Women, Children and Social Development were combined. Now Social Development has been separated, and only Women and Children remain within this Ministry. Therefore, this time the allocation reflects only Women and Child Affairs. Though not fully adequate, we will deliver priority tasks with what we have.

¶ 07 Today, mothers face challenges in ensuring their children’s education, access to proper health services, and safe, healthy living environments, including reliable student transport. These are basic needs that families have been shouldering. It is reasonable that the Government now assumes part of these burdens. To prevent school dropouts and ensure 13 years of uninterrupted education, the Government has decided to provide the Rs. 6,000 allowance for schoolchildren. In addition to shoes and uniforms, nearly Rs. 1.4 billion has been allocated for sanitary supplies for adolescent girls to prevent them from being pushed out of school during menstruation. By assuming responsibility for students across all regions — plantation, North, East, South — the Government is removing mothers’ fears and ensuring stable, continuous education for their children.

¶ 08 Compared to previous years, health has received higher allocations this time — not as a cover for other comforts under the guise of national security, but genuinely for health, education, and public welfare. Developing the health sector benefits children and families. It is crucial that a mother can obtain reliable medicines at hospitals to care for a healthy child. Beyond our Ministry’s own resources, we will leverage allocations of allied ministries to drive social welfare development, because overall social development leads to societal advancement.

¶ 09 We are introducing new measures in public transport to improve services. When public transport improves, women in remote areas can take their children to school and hospitals safely while saving money otherwise spent on private vehicles. Safe public transport means not only preventing accidents but also preventing sexual abuse of women and children during travel. We will strengthen the law accordingly and intensify public awareness to prevent recurring violence against women and children.

¶ 10 On early childhood development, as raised by a Member, funds are allocated not only for preschools in the North but also for good behaviour and childcare centres nationwide — Rs. 500 million has been allocated in the Budget.

¶ 11 We support ethnic harmony and respect religious identities. When we discuss the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Law, we do not aim to create ethnic or religious conflicts. Our focus is ensuring girls’ continued education. Thirteen years of uninterrupted, internationally recognized education must be guaranteed. The law in Sri Lanka already states under the Children (Employment) law that persons under 14 shall not be employed in domestic or other work; those aged 15–16 are still considered minors.