State Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Geetha Kumarasinghe, announced that the Cabinet of Ministers has greenlit a proposal to ...
State Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Geetha Kumarasinghe, announced that the Cabinet of Ministers has greenlit a proposal to modify the existing Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, with plans to introduce a new Bill in Parliament.
During a briefing at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) on Tuesday (02), Kumarasinghe emphasized ongoing efforts to establish the National Commission for Women, following the introduction of a recently gazetted Bill on Women’s Empowerment.
She stated, “The Women’s Empowerment Bill received Cabinet approval on March 04 and was officially gazetted on March 07. It is slated to be presented in Parliament in the near future, incorporating provisions for the National Commission for Women.”
The Women Parliamentarian’s Caucus met on March 20 to deliberate on the Bill. The meeting saw active participation from various stakeholders, including representatives from the President’s Office, the Attorney General’s Department, and the Legal Draftsman’s Department.
Kumarasinghe also mentioned that feedback from the World Bank on the Women’s Empowerment Bill was considered during the Caucus meeting. Should further amendments be necessary based on this feedback, the Bill will be re-published in the government gazette.
Key provisions in the Bill include allowing close associates to file cases on behalf of women experiencing domestic violence. Additionally, the Cabinet approved amendments to the existing Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, intending to present it as a new Act in Parliament.
Further disclosures by Kumarasinghe revealed the establishment of temporary detention centers for abused women across various districts, including Gampaha, Ratnapura, Colombo, Matara, Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Monaragala, and Nuwara Eliya.
Furthermore, Kumarasinghe confirmed the Cabinet's approval of the Bill on Gender Equality. It is set to be sent to the Government Printing Press for gazetting. Additionally, the Cabinet has endorsed national guidelines for managing women's care homes dedicated to victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
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