Our Women in Society

"The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world" is an old saying. This is very true. But do we give the same regards and respect that we give to our mothers and sisters to all women? Most women in our society in the middle and working classes suffer from many indignities, very damaging to their personalities. Our newspapers daily come out with many sad tales that affect our females, both young and old.

On the one hand, we have women leaders as in Sri Lanka. Our country had first women prime minister, the first elected president and many leading politicians. True our learned professions are full of women of distinction; our universities are full of women students. Still our less fortunate mothers and sisters from the lower middle classes suffer in many ways. Working class women safer from all kind of indignities. The poor girls are not safe. They are abducted, raped and killed. Many poor women are hired and fired. They work in shops and factories under depressing conditions. They are denied equal pay for equal work, hundreds of poor girls or young mothers or widows who go overseas to work as domestics or house-maids get cheated; ill-fed; ill-treated and sometimes killed too. This happens in our land too. Many suffers in silence. A few put an end to their lives. Of course, there are women organizations, But quite often the problem continues. Much work remains to be done. The state and all social and voluntary bodies have much work to do.

Sri Lanka, in comparison with many third world countries in Asia and Africa, happily do not have many cases but still we have a lot of work to do to work for the welfare of all women. The plight of the poor women, widows and girls need the care of all, All must be educated to look at this problem as needing urgent and effective remedies. Our courts of law should impose severe penalties on all sadists and criminals who are a threat to our poor, helpless womenfolk. Special relief and guidance centers must be opened every where to help all unfortunate victims. This is our sacred duty. A society where all human beings, men, women, the rich and the poor live without fear and with honor and dignity should be the concers of all.