Melani Manel Perera

On International Women’s Day, Child Development and Women’s Affairs minister announces a five-year plan to empower women. However, feminist scholar Pushpa Ramlani says women’s contribution to the country’s economy is undervalued. Only 4.7 per cent of MPs are women.

The Catholic NGO’s programme focuses on recent flood victims and internally displaced people, with emphasis on child education. About 600 housing units are planned for the districts of Killinochchi and Mullathivu thanks to contributions from Caritas-Switzerland and Caritas-Belgium.

A demonstration outside the Libyan Embassy in Sri Lanka. Slogans in Sinhala and English demanding freedom for the North African country. Strongly worded intervention by Wickramabhu, leader of the New Leftist Front, against President Mahinda Rajapksa.

The 27th Meelad-un-Nabi, the anniversary of the birth of the prophet Muhammad, was attended by Christian, Buddhist and Hindu religious leaders, with a thought for events in Saudi Arabia.

The funeral service was held this afternoon in a town near Jaffna. Three politicians from a Dalit party are stopped at Colombo airport without reason. Activists say the disgraceful act violates human rights.

For Father Travis Gabriel, Rector of a Catholic boys school, education system needs reform that creates skilled, industrious and enterprising work force. Total freedom for parents to choose schools for their children, greater personal initiative for teachers and investment in skills for world of work.

In remembering Lasantha Wikrematunge, who was murdered two years ago, Christopher Warren, federal secretary of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, calls on Sri Lanka to follow the example of Egypt. He urges journalists to seize the historic moment and renew the worldwide march towards democracy and human rights.

Winner Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, is executive director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives. The recognition comes for his efforts in seeking a political solution to the ethnic conflict in the country. The award was established by the National Peace Council in 2010.

Following the floods, fishermen have to face this new problem, which will seriously affect the population’s main source of livelihood. Silence of authorities.

Age raised from 18 to 21 years. But some religious are convinced that the law is useless in the face of over 4 thousand complaints of abuse, violence and torture recorded in 2009 alone by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.

At least 17 districts affected by the rains, more than one million people displaced, 11 dead. Caritas was the first to intervene, and continues to provide aid and relief to those affected. Meanwhile, the government is also promoting an aid package.

Many criticise the effective lack of freedom of the press and freedom of thought. For them, the country is under a dictatorship that denies elementary rights to Tamils and other groups and is incapable of fighting widespread poverty. Anglican bishop speaks out on the matter.