Life style
Intimate partner violence
The iconic Colombo Municipal Council building was illuminated in orange with messaging on the national women’s helpline and Mithuru Piyasa hotline to place a spotlight on intimate partner violence and encourage more women to seek help.
The illumination organised by UNFPA in collaboration with the Colombo Municipal Council and the High Commission of Canada, launched the 16 days of global activism against gender-based violence in Sri Lanka with a focus on intimate partner violence. The intervention is the culmination of a trilingual national media campaign on intimate partner violence highlighting evidence from the Women’s Wellbeing Survey (WWS), Sri Lanka’s first national survey on women and girls.
Many women who experienced sexual violence by a partner did not seek formal help anywhere.
Encouraging more victims to seek help and ensuring support systems are available and accessibility is essential for the recovery and prevention of violence against women and girls in Sri Lanka.
Speaking on the importance of collective action to end intimate partner violence Colombo Mayor, Rosy Senanayake, “Violence against women can happen to anyone, anywhere so it is vital that we talk about this issue widely. She said she was happy to be collaborating yet again with UNFPA to raise awareness on this very pertinent issue.”
The 2019 Well Being survey found one in four 24.9 cent women have experienced physical and sexual violence since age 15 by a partner or non partner.
Intimate partner violence is the most common form of sexual violence impacting millions of women worldwide Covid 19 lockdown and travel restriction have disrupted women’s access to life saving sexual and reproductive wealth sciences.
Physical, sexual or psychological harm by a partner is a major factor in maternal and reproductive health of mothers and newborns pointed out the 2019 Women’s Wellbeing survey.
For example, women suffering from intimate partner violence are less likely to use or even have a say in using contraception which would lead to unplanned pregnancies.
The Survey found that one in five (20.4%) women in Sri Lanka have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner. The survey also found that women who experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner had contemplated suicide; highlighting the serious repercussions violence has on the lives of women and girls.
Highlighting the importance of policies that take the evidence of the WWS into account Mr. Daniel Joly, Counsellor and Head of Development Cooperation, High Commission of Canada in Sri Lanka stated “The Government of Canada is committed to supporting Sri Lanka and several other countries to end all forms of violence. it has been a long journey but I am pleased to see the results of the WWS we supported come to light today in the form of crucial evidence. Surveys like this are on essential building block in working towards ending all forms of violence against women and girls.”
UNFPA will continue advocating with its partners beyond the 16 days to encourage collective action to take the message of 16 days of advocacy forward to different audiences in Sri Lanka for a world free of gender-based violence and harmful practices towards women and girls ahead of the 2030 Agenda.
Women in Sri Lanka are oppressed under represented and harassed, even in the sanctity of their homes is a sad story.
To raise this awareness the UNFPA in Sri Lanka partnered with Sri Lanka Medical Association to organise a panel discuss on “The impact of gender violence”.
Sri Lanka is a country that prides itself for its rich cultural heritage and values. Our social ethos are highly recognised by many. However, amidst the vibrant, rich culture this ugly truth lurks in the background, the fact that Women in Sri Lanka are oppressed under represented and harassed, even in the sanctity of their homes is a sad story.
The surveys results were made public recently in a special event heralding the start of 16 days of activism with a call to end intimate partner violence. Needless to say, this all occurred during a period of time when attention towards the injustice women face was hot on people’s minds, where the uncouth. harassing remarks of a Parliament minister towards a female minister of Parliament faced little to no repercussions after refusing to apologise for his conduct, and the news of the Kinniya bridge tragedy was fresh in people’s minds as well.
One only needs to look back to the various news reports of this year to recall a number of other heinous acts inflicted upon women in Sri Lanka; one such being the beheading and dismemberment of a young woman whose remains were discovered in a discarded suitcase, the culprit a Policeman nonetheless.
As such it is clear that Sri Lanka does indeed have a problem with how its people treat the women around them, with men usually being the guilty party
Although such reports alluded to a major societal issue, there had never been concrete proof of how widespread the issue of how Sri Lankan women are treated .However, where there is smoke, there is fire and in this case, a blazing inferno – putting into question how Sri Lankan women are truly treated, even in their own homes.
Although a home should evoke feelings of safety and security, of love and freedom, that is not the reality for one in five women in Sri Lanka, who have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime, and that women in Sri Lanka are more than twice as likely to have experienced physical violence at the hands of a partner than by another.
Additionally, two in five women in Sri Lanka have experienced physical, sexual, emotional and/or economic violence, and/or controlling behaviour by a partner in their lifetime, revealing the sad truth that for many women in our
country, their homes are not in fact safe havens, or escapes from the evils of the world. For many, the danger lies within, at the hands of the person she shares her life with.
The danger has only increased with the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns, which locked their victims in (more often than not) with their aggressors, with no means of escape for months on end.
Needless to say, the violence, aggression, and controlling behaviour imposed upon women in Sri Lanka have far-reaching consequences, ones that could even be seen and identified from generation to generation.
In fact, the children of parents who are in an abusive relationship are found to be more likely to drop-out of school, and it was also discovered that such children are more likely to grow up and become aggressors or victims as adults, according to the findings of the survey
Global evidence also shows children who have experienced or witnessed violence at home are more likely to become either perpetrators or victims of SGBV We must stop this vicious cycle.
Violence against women and girls continues to plague women in Sri Lanka and across the world, but this year COVID-19 has fanned the flames and this is the reason to highlight it now more than ever.
The pandemic’s long-term socio-economic effect may make the road steeper, but the joint efforts must continue.
Institute of Hospitality Sri Lanka
The 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the UK-based Institute of Hospitality’s Sri Lanka Chapter was held recently at the Ramada Hotel Colombo,.The event provided an evening of camaraderie , reflection of the past and present achievements,setting new benchmarks for the future
The AGM had the presence of two distinguished guests, the Chief Guest Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and the Guest of Honour British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick. Their inspiring speeches were lauded by all hoteliers who were present at the occasion
A special thanks was extended to Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality UK, along with his team, sponsors, committee members, and all attendees for making the event memorable.
Dr. Harsha Jayasingh, Past President of the Institute of Hospitality (UK) Sri Lanka Chapter, emphasised the Institute’s longstanding history and the strength of its Sri Lankan branch. “The Institute of Hospitality (IH) UK has a history of 86 years, and we are proud to be the Sri Lanka Branch. IH Sri Lanka is much stronger now with many members from all areas of the hospitality industry,” he stated.
Dr. Jayasingh highlighted the significant role of tourism in Sri Lanka’s economy,. He said tourism it is the third-largest source of revenue for the country. “Tourism accounts for about 13.3% of total foreign exchange earnings and employs 450,000 people directly and indirectly. The hospitality industry in this island of pearl holds tremendous potential for economic growth, job creations, and cultural exchange,” he added.
He also pointed out more women should be attracted to the industry and advocated for the use of technology in hospitality sector to attract the younger generation.
The newly appointed Chairman Ramesh Dassanayake spoke about the challenges faced by the industry, including the reluctance of youth to join the sector. . Dassanayake expressed concerns over the migration of staff between hotels and the overall ‘brain drain’ in the sector. ” We must maintain high standards in the hotel We must try to attract tourists to Sri Lanka, we must have with many facilities Hence, hotel schools and other professional institutions involved in skills development mustincrease their intakes,” he pointed out.
Chief Guest Sajith Premadasa emphasised the importance of eco tourism and said “We need to have an environmental policy related to tourism in place,” . .
The 32nd AGM of the Institute of Hospitality UK, Sri Lanka Chapter, was a testament to the strength and potential of Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry. The insights and commitments shared during the event set a new benchmark for the future.(ZC)
Pix by Thushara Attapathu
Life style
He recognizes human identity beyond boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
Visit of Sri Gurudev to Sri Lanka
Humanitarian, spiritual leader and Global Ambassador of Peace Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Sri Gurudev) was in Sri Lanka on a three day tour on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunewardene. Gurudev who inspired a wave of volunteerism and service to moot one of the largest volunteer-based organisations in the world – The Art of Living – visited the various projects under the aegis of the foundation and launched twelve vocational and technical centers around the island. He was accompanied by thousands of followers from Sri Lanka and around the world.
Gurudev who visited Sri Lanka for the sixth time also had a first day cover launched in honour of his visit. He is a strong proponent of spreading happiness, using the unique Sudarshan Kriya, yoga, meditation and practical wisdom to unite people, empower individuals and transform communities. His programmes provide techniques and tools to live a deeper, more joyous life, while his non-profit organisations recognize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
The Art of Living which has more than 30,000 teachers and over one million volunteers across 180 countries has touched in excess of five hundred million people around the world. CNN called it “Life Changing” and The Washington Post headlined it, “Fresh air to millions”.
In Trincomalee, Gurudev met with war victims and had a heartwarming engagement with the children from the children’s homes run by the Foundation. He also visited the Koneswara Temple in Trincomalee and graced the Kumbhabhishekam at Seetha ecogPnize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion. Amman temple at Nuwara Eliya. He held discussions with the trustees on the progress of the foundation’s social service projects, while also holding a special event – Ekamuthuwa – attended by a large number of dignitaries and his devotees from around the world.
His time with the Prime Minister was spent discussing the prospects of unity in diversity and uniting Sri Lanka by adding happiness into the formula of living. In addition he had discussions with the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, prominent business stewards and civil society leaders.
by Zanita Careem
Envison your dream wedding day come to life at the Epitome Hotel, a prestigious city hotel in Kurunegala offering an unrivalled luxury rendors experience for weddings.
The venue is designed to embody opulence and luxury from all quarters for a spectacular wedding in kurunegala,Thier ballroom is the largest banquet facility in Sri Lanka It can be divided into six luxurious pillarless wedding halls on the ground floor and 25pax smaller banquet halls.
It can be easily named as a five star heaven in the heart of the city contributing to a myriad of immense experiences tailored to inspire and delight wedding experiences.
From opulent décor set up to exquisite table decor, lavish food, every detail is meticulously curated to spark your imagination and ignite creativity for a perfect wedding. The previous prestigious wedding shows season one and season two attracted large crowds
were unique events which gave the wedding vendors and potential clients had an opportunity to connect and interact with each other. Beyond being a showcase it was a chance for the wedding vendors to unite and contribute to the vibrancy of the wedding industry. The wedding show covered all area of the bridal industry providing a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became the most popular bridal exhibitions in Kurunegala.This bridal exhibitions allowed brides and grooms to experience first hand the products and services available from suppliers in Sri Lanka
These wedding shows held at The Epitome created a benchmark and gave an opportunity for vendors to create connections to the utmost satisfaction said Harshan Lakshita Executive Director. of the magnificent Hotel
Our wedding shows featured experts and professionals in every field‘ It covered all areas of the bridal industry provided a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became most popular bridal exhibition in this region.We are always open to everyone to join us at our wedding shows in the future. It is an opportunity to discover the incredible talent within our local wedding and bridal vendors to make meaningful relationships and plan thier special day at our breathtaking hotel The Epitome said General Manager Kavinda Caldera
The Epitome Hotel’s bridal show which will be held end of June will buzz with great ideas,advice and inspiration for all those who plan thier dream wedding
…….
The Hotel Epitome’s Wedding Season 3 will marked excellence, celebration and inspiration for those in the wedding industry. The exhibition halls will resonate with ideas on exquisite bridal wear to decor, florists , photography etc and showshowcase the rich tapestry of talent within the local wedding industry. .
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
