State Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Geetha Kumarasinghe, Introduces New Legislation to Address Domestic Violence
State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe from Women and Children’s Affairs announced that the Cabinet has approved the revision of the existing Prevention of Domestic Violence Act and will be presenting a new bill to Parliament.
Furthermore, the State Minister mentioned the progress in establishing the National Commission for Women, following the introduction of the Bill on Women’s Empowerment which has already been gazetted.
State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe made these statements during a press briefing at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) today (02), under the theme “Collective Path to a Stable Country.”
State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe expressed,
The approval for the Women’s Empowerment Bill was granted by the Cabinet on April 3, 2024. The draft bill was officially published in the gazette on July 3, 2024, and will be presented to Parliament soon. It includes provisions for the establishment of the National Commission for Women.
On March 20, 2024, the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus held a discussion in Parliament regarding the women’s empowerment bill, with key stakeholders like the President’s Office, the Attorney General’s Department, and the Legal Draftsman’s Department actively participating.
Feedback from the World Bank on the Bill for Women’s Empowerment was also considered, and the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus will review the feedback within a week. If any additional amendments are needed, the Bill will be re-published in the gazette and presented to Parliament.
Furthermore, important clauses have been added, including the provision for a close associate to file a case on behalf of women experiencing domestic violence. The Cabinet has approved the amendment of the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act and the presentation of a new Act to Parliament.
Temporary detention centers for abused women have been set up in various districts like Gampaha, Ratnapura, Colombo, Matara, Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Monaragala, and Nuwara Eliya.
The Cabinet has also approved the Bill on Gender Equality for gazetting and forwarded it to the government printing press. Additionally, national guidelines for managing women’s care homes dedicated to victims of sexual and gender-based violence have been approved by the Cabinet.
Women and Children’s Affairs State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe announced that the Cabinet has approved amendments to the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act and will present a new bill to Parliament. Plans are underway to establish the National Commission for Women, following the introduction of the Women’s Empowerment Bill. The bill was gazetted on July 3, 2024, and will be presented in Parliament soon. The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus discussed the bill, considering feedback from the World Bank. Amendments were made to include provisions for close associates to file cases for abused women. The Cabinet also approved the Bill on Gender Equality and guidelines for women’s care homes.
