State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe, responsible for Women and Children’s Affairs, disclosed that the Cabinet of Ministers has sanctioned a proposal to amend the existing Prevention of Domestic Violence Act and introduce a new Bill to Parliament. This significant development aims to enhance legal frameworks safeguarding victims of domestic violence.
Furthermore, Kumarasinghe emphasized ongoing initiatives towards establishing the National Commission for Women, following the gazetting of the Bill on Women’s Empowerment.
Addressing a briefing held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) on Tuesday (02), Kumarasinghe stated, “The Cabinet approved the Women’s Empowerment Bill on March 04, and subsequently, the draft Bill was officially published in the gazette on March 07. It is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament soon. The Act includes provisions regarding the establishment of the National Commission for Women.”
She highlighted the Women Parliamentarian’s Caucus’s meeting on March 20, which extensively deliberated the aforementioned Bill, with contributions from various stakeholders, including officials from the President’s Office, the Attorney General’s Department, and the Legal Draftsman’s Department.
Moreover, Kumarasinghe underscored the importance of incorporating observations from the World Bank regarding the Women’s Empowerment Bill into the discussions. The Caucus has committed to reviewing these observations and, if necessary, making additional amendments before republishing the Bill in the government gazette.
In a significant move, the Bill includes provisions allowing close associates to file cases on behalf of women experiencing domestic violence. Additionally, the Cabinet has greenlit amendments to the existing Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, slated for presentation to Parliament as a new Act, Kumarasinghe added.
She further disclosed the establishment of temporary detention centers for abused women across several districts, including Gampaha, Ratnapura, Colombo, Matara, Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Monaragala, and Nuwara Eliya.
Expanding on legislative efforts, Kumarasinghe announced the Cabinet’s approval of the Bill on Gender Equality, which will proceed to the Government Printing Press for gazetting. Furthermore, the Cabinet has endorsed national guidelines for managing women’s care homes dedicated to victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
