• Responds to US Envoy’s call for increased female contributions to legal sector  

In response to US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung recently highlighting the importance of equality and expanding female contributions to the country’s legal profession, Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms President’s Counsel (PC) Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that female participation in the judicial system is currently at an exceptional level.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (5), Dr. Rajapakshe said that since everyone relies on the number of sitting female Parliamentarians, which is relatively lower than in any other Government body, when making statements on the female representation of other sectors, it could be misleading. “As is observable, female representation in Parliament is relatively low. But, it does not mean that female representation in other sectors is also low. Therefore, we should not rely on the number of female MPs in the Legislature,” he said.

He also emphasised that the percentage of female judges in the country is relatively high, with similar numbers observable in other Government institutions affiliated with the judicial system in Sri Lanka. He said that many of the higher positions in the judicial system are occupied by females. Speaking further in this regard, Dr. Rajapakshe noted that no one has been discriminated against based on his/her gender. “In my Ministry, almost all the positions, except mine, are occupied by females. The Secretary to the Ministry and many of the Additional and Assistant Secretaries are also females. When it comes to the Legal Draftsman’s Department, 15 officers out of the total 16 are females, including its Head, the Legal Draftsperson. The situations are similar at the Attorney General’s Department and the Government Analyst’s Department. On the other hand, the majority of law students in State universities and the Law College are also females. Therefore, female participation in the judicial system will further increase in the next five years,” he said.

Dr. Rajapakshe further said that there is no need to implement new laws in order to increase equality and female contributions in this sector. But, he also said that it is the responsibility of policymakers to remove any barriers against females who are prevailing in all forms of professions.

Speaking at the National Law Conference held on 3 June, Chung highlighted that the judicial sector is vital to uphold the rule of law and protect the freedoms that sustain democracy, and thus spoke on the imperative need for equality within all professions.