Introduction
Sri Lanka boasts a favorable gender ratio of over 51%. However, women’s participation in the political landscape remains low. Despite their presence in decision-making positions across sectors, their representation hovers around a mere 5%. Unfortunately, many marginalized and vulnerable groups, including women and rural populations, face barriers that prevent them from participating in the electoral process. Violence and unfair practices only exacerbate these challenges.
Promoting Inclusive Democracy
To address the lack of democratic rights among women and vulnerable segments of society, the Saviya Development Foundation (SDF), an NGO, launched a civil society empowerment project in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka in 2010. With funding from the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) and execution by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the initiative aimed to promote inclusive democracy, combat electoral malpractices, corruption, and human rights violations against women and vulnerable groups.
Raising Awareness and Building Capacity
Over a two-year period (2010-2011), the project undertook various activities to generate awareness and enhance capacity among different stakeholders. Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), women’s self-help groups (SHGs), government officials, private sector representatives, and media practitioners all benefited from these efforts. The project identified and trained 124 personnel from 60 CBOs, equipping them to become leaders who could champion democracy and good governance in their communities. Voter education camps were conducted to promote political awareness among citizens, both in urban and rural areas. Multi-stakeholder meetings brought together electorates, elected leaders, government officers, private sector representatives, and civil society members to foster discussions on democracy and good governance. Additionally, approximately 250 women’s SHGs were established to create a politically aware citizenry that would exercise their political rights and address cases of gender-based violence in their localities. The government and private sector officials also received specialized training on gender equality.
Empowering Through Information
To ensure the easy dissemination of information, the project developed around 40 Information Education Communication (IEC) materials in the local language. These materials, including leaflets, manuals, handbooks, posters, and videos, covered topics such as the Sri Lankan Constitution, human rights, gender, and labor laws. To make the IEC materials accessible, 47 information centers were established in collaboration with the government across the rural councils of Galle, Matara, and Hambantota. These centers, located in government libraries and staffed by specially appointed librarians, provided citizens with easy access to the information.
Positive Impact and Future Prospects
The project’s final evaluation demonstrated the positive outcomes achieved. Participants displayed heightened awareness of various aspects of democracy and good governance. Women became more informed about the importance of voting and began actively participating in political processes. Informed choices in candidate selection reduced election violence and paved the way for greater female voter turnout. Moreover, training government officials on democracy, good governance, human rights, and gender empowerment sensitized them and encouraged their active involvement in the initiative. The information centers played a crucial role in disseminating information to rural communities.
Women in Sri Lanka became better acquainted with their democratic rights, including the need for their active involvement in politics and contesting elections. Many women received training as peer educators, equipping them with knowledge on laws relevant to their lives. Consequently, several women broke their silence on domestic violence and sought avenues for redress. Publications, such as the ‘Gender and Democracy Manual’ available at information centers, provide women with further knowledge on gender-based violence.
In a short period, the project successfully reached out to key stakeholders, sensitizing them to the importance of gender justice, voter education, democracy, and good governance. CBOs now recognize the need to reach a wider audience of women and establish networks with other CBOs to mobilize and encourage greater political participation among women. Government officials have expressed a keen interest in furthering their understanding of democracy and gender-related issues to apply them in their official capacities. Furthermore, there is a growing demand for establishing information centers in remote areas to ensure greater accessibility to information. Ongoing capacity-building efforts, especially in rural areas where the concepts of democracy and gender empowerment remain relatively new, are vital for sustaining the progress made by the initiative.
Conclusion
It is imperative to build upon the modest successes achieved by the project. By empowering more citizens with knowledge of their democratic rights and responsibilities, the initiative can extend its benefits to a larger portion of the population. Through concerted efforts, Sri Lanka can continue its journey towards inclusive democracy, ensuring equal representation and opportunities for all.
