Equal rights for women, says Minister

S. DURAISAMY Maskeliya group correspondent

Women of world have been neglected and they were treated as unequal persons in the world. It should be erased soon. Women are the most important people not only in a society, but in every country.

The men have not allowed women to come up in their lives. Because they play a very great role in bringing up a good society. Such people must be encouraged and given due places in the country, said Community Development and Social Inequity Eradication Minister and President of Upcountry People’s Front P. Chandrasegaran.

He was speaking at the Women’s Day Celebration of Upcountry held at Prince hall, Hatton at which he presided.

Minister Chandrasegaran, said that 80 percent of women, in the world have been placed as refugees. They were unable to rise up in their lives according to a UNO report. In Uganda, in 1994, about 500,000 women suffered sexual harassment. Globally, women were harassed and they were unable to go out freely.

He said women should be allowed to move freely without any fear. They must not be kept isolated from their societies. They should be given equality in every movement. There are many women who have educationally qualified, but they are not given a place to come up in society. They should be given employment opportunities.

The people who leave Sri Lanka for foreign employments as housemaids are mostly women. As far as estate women were concerned, they were unable to think about their participation in their leadership.