The main Parliamentary Opposition Party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), is to endorse the proposed Women’s Empowerment Bill, which is still in its committee stage, while the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power Party (NPP), also of the Opposition, is to endorse if their proposals are included in the Bill.

When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (29), SJB Parliamentarian Rohini Kumari Wijerathna Kavirathna, who is also a member of the Women MPs’ Caucus, said that the Women’s Empowerment Bill is still in its committee stage, and that it will soon be tabled in the House. She said that a number of proposals submitted by certain political groups, civil society organisations, and individuals regarding the Bill will also be reviewed and included in the Bill to make it a comprehensive piece of legislation. She noted further that the women MPs are involved in this matter as the Women MPs Caucus rather than as individual MPs representing a particular political party. She said therefore that all the political parties are working to make good legislation to empower women in this country and to pass the Bill unanimously, stating that the SJB would support getting the Bill through the Parliament.

Meanwhile, speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday, NPP MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the NPP would endorse if the Government was ready to include their proposals that were submitted to the particular Sectoral Oversight Committee. However, she said that the NPP does have a positive view regarding the said Bill as it is a piece of legislation that focuses on the empowerment of women. She further stated that it is the responsibility of the Government to accommodate the proposals submitted by various parties to make it more progressive.

Addressing a meeting last week, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said: “The Women’s Empowerment Act proposes essential provisions to legally empower women, including the establishment of a dedicated commission for their implementation.”