Women’s equality while accessing public services should have to be positive implications to the socio economic development of a nation and ongoing study conducted by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) shows that women’s access to public services still predominantly unequal in Sri Lanka.
Even though corruption affects everyone negatively, studies such as Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer 2013, show that corruption has a disproportionate impact on women than men.
Ongoing study carried out by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), Impact of Corruption on Women, resonates with the global finding on the vulnerability of women to corruption. Some of the major findings of the research show that women’s access to public service is still predominately unequal in Sri Lanka. The study reveals that female headed families are largely affected by corruption and irregularities than those headed by males. Among the areas in which the study was conducted, it shows that to a larger degree, women face more corruption while seeking legal services, either from Judiciary or Police. Meanwhile, the study also show that, ethnic minority women, women from war and disaster affected areas and women workers in the plantations are victims of corruption and irregularities of public services, more than others group of women in the country.
Revealing these facts in a statement to commemorate International Women’s Day, TISL calls for challenge the perception that men and women in Sri Lanka have equal and full access to services provided by the government and thus increase awareness in this regard to inspire a positive change.
As the theme for 2014, International Women’s Day is “INSPIRING CHANGE,” through the recommendations provided in the particular study we believe will inspire the nation to make required amendment to the existing laws, and implement new policies to enhance women’s access to the services provided by the government