Singaporean parliamentarian advocates stricter laws to combat violence against women

Singaporean parliamentarian and representative of the Asian Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, Professor Rizwana Begum, has called for substantial changes to laws, including stricter punishments, personal protection orders, expedited orders, domestic exclusion orders, and counseling orders to effectively combat violence against women.

Speaking at a meeting at the parliamentary complex last week, she emphasized the urgency of collective action to prevent family violence.

The meeting brought together key figures, including Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, as well as legal expert Vimala Chandrarajan, and Dr. Ramani Jayasundere, who played a significant role in drafting Sri Lanka’s Women’s Policy. Representatives from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) also attended the discussion.

This gathering was organized as part of the cross-border networking initiatives by the Sri Lanka Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, with the primary objective of sharing insights and experiences related to empowering women and addressing the issue of violence against women.

During the meeting, MP Dr. Fernandopulle expressed her gratitude to Professor Begum for sharing Singapore’s initiatives aimed at empowering women in Sri Lanka and combatting gender-based violence (GBV). The discussions also touched on closing the gender-based wage gap and supporting unpaid female workers and women in various sectors.