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Norway: Too early to pass judgment on LG representation and women’s quota
Having recently perused ‘Necessary Yet Insufficient: Women’s Quota for Wider Political Representation in Sri Lanka’ and ‘Women, Quota and the Press: Media Coverage of the 2018 Local Government Elections’ released jointly by Women and Media Collective (WMC) and the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo, The Island felt the need to seek clarification as regards the Norwegian involvement in the ongoing project to enhance women’s representation not only at LG level but Provincial Council and Parliamentary levels as well. Booklets have been published in Sinhala and Tamil as mentioned in the foreword by Sanchia Brown, Programme Officer, WMC, who acknowledged that as a result of the new hybrid electoral system the total number of LG representatives increased from 4,486 to 8,356.
by Shamindra Ferdinando
The Norwegian Embassy says it is not fair to pass judgment on the Local Government system just four years after the first LG polls held under the new hybrid electoral system. It also insists that encouraging more women in politics remains a major priority for Norway and their efforts here are in line with the overall strategy.
The Island raised the issue with the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo as Norway was among those foreign sponsors of the high profile project here to enhance women’s participation at various levels of governance and challenge the postponement of scheduled Local Government polls by the current dispensation.
The Embassy spokesperson responded to the following questions that were submitted:
The Island: In addition to WMC, how many other civil society groups received Norwegian funding to promote enhanced women’s representation? Can you name them?
Norwegian Embassy: The Norwegian support to Women and Media Collective is the only project that directly targets increasing women’s representation in politics. However, the Norwegian Embassy also works with Sarvodaya, who runs a political leadership programme, aiming to encourage young people, both men and women, to get involved in political life.
The Island: Can you disclose the total amount of money granted to WMC and other organizations.
Norwegian Embassy: All information about Norwegian aid to Sri Lanka is publicly available through: Norwegian Development Aid (norad.no)
The Island:
Some newspaper groups including the Upali Newspapers, were left out of research on newspapers reporting on what the report called ‘historic 25% quota for women in LG from Sept 2017 to Dec 2018.’ As it was jointly issued by the WMC and the Norwegian embassy in Colombo, would you explain why some publishing houses were left out?
Norwegian Embassy: While Norway provides financial support to Women and Media Collective, we have no influence over the content of the research produced or the decisions made by individual researchers. Therefore, this question would be best addressed to the authors of the paper. Norway respects academic freedom and freedom of expression.
The Island:
Would it be possible for you to disclose the approximate amount of funding annually made available to civil society groups since 2015? And who were the recipients?
Norwegian embassy: Norwegian bilateral aid to Sri Lanka comes through at least 3 different channels: Directly from the Embassy through Norway’s development agency NORAD and directly from the Norwegian Foreign Ministry.
From 2015-2020, a total of 386.3 million NOK was earmarked to Sri Lanka, of which about 213.3 million NOK was channeled through either Norwegian or non-Norwegian Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). A full overview can again be found here: Norwegian development aid (norad.no)
The Island: Four years after the first LG polls held under the new hybrid electoral system, have you observed any improvement in the set-up or are your disappointed with the status of the LG administration?
Norwegian embassy: Norway is a decentralised country, and we believe strongly in local governance. Such structures need time to develop and mature, and require sufficient financing to function well. We therefore think it is too early to cast any judgment on the system only four years in.
The Island: Have you (the Government of Norway) discussed the need for enhanced women political representation at all levels with the government over the past several years?
Norwegian Embassy: Women’s equitable representation in elected political bodies is important for several reasons. Given that women constitute half the population in most countries, but have been historically marginalised from such bodies, ensuring equitable representations is important to deepen democratic governance and ensure more equitable development outcomes. Equitable representation is also important given that women may have different views, experiences and interests from men. The need for enhanced female political representation at all levels is a question the Embassy raises in most of our meetings with parliamentarians, party leaders, local officials and government representatives.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
