Justice Minister Mohamed Ali Sabry focused attention towards improving working conditions of Sri Lankan women and highlighted certain barriers posed by Labour laws that restrict women’s ability to enter and sustain themselves in the workforce.
The Minister made these comments during a high level panel discussion titled “Sri Lanka’s Gender Discriminatory Labour Laws”. The discussion was made both in Sinhala and English Languages
The podium consisted of former Labour Commissioner Madhavie Gunawardena , Legal Research, Deputy Head Malsirini de Silva and Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka, HR Business Partner Kanishka Paternott. The discussion was moderated by Advocata Institute , Researcher Sathya Karunarathne. Members from policy circles, respective government departments, social activists and members of the public also attended.
Opening the session Minister Ali Sabry said during the 1950’s governments in Sri Lanka brought very important laws and regulations to protect the employment conditions of Sri Lankan women.
“Although laws were implemented to sustenance of females in the workforce we should see how they were carried out in a proper way.”
He said some existing laws and regulations should also be changed in order to protect the rights of females in the country.
“As we are aware currently females are playing a major role in the country’s development activities and 65 percent of our student’s population in universities is also females.”
The Minister further said some legal and policy issues which disproportionately affect females in the workforce should be amended. Responding to questions raised by the media about hardships faced by certain Sri Lankan female employees in the Middle Eastern countries and whether the existing laws are sufficient to protect them Minister Ali Sabry said rather than laws practical realities should be there to save our female workers who face hardships.
He said they also look into the services provided by Sri Lankan embassies in the Middle Eastern countries and the Sri Lanka Bureau of foreign Employment also looks into S female migrant workers issues.
Minister Ali Sabry said Sri Lanka should send more and skilled female workers such as nurses and trained workers for the hospitality industry to avoid problems faced by the country’s workers.
Minister Ali Sabry further said that he doesn’t like Lankan women seeking employment as domestic workers unless they are trained in certain other important employment fields.
The audience also directed several questions to the panel about Sri Lankan females, especially domestic workers who face hardships when working during night shifts.
This discussion also focused towards understanding discriminatory laws for women in Labour Laws, Land laws and tariffs.
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