MONITORING COMMITTEE

One important step towards eliminating violence is to provide women with the knowledge and information they need to make the best decisions for themselves and their families with respect to legal rights around marriage and family law. The WDC provides counseling services in these areas for women; and operates a Resource Centre, providing women with access to information on issues that affect them. It has also helped to establish a growing network of women’s groups across the country.

“In Sri Lanka, women’s issues are not a priority. When a woman is raped or abused, what happens is that everybody blames the woman.  So these things will have to change. If a woman is not independent, if she doesn’t have the right to protest, to take action against her abuser, I think that’s the thing that we have to target. This woman has to be someone who has an independent mind, who is able to stand up for herself, who can bring up children who will be useful citizens in this country”. 
(Mrs. Pearl Stephen, WDC Coordinator)

TASKS
• Issues and problems are discussed and addressed
• Review of overall performance
• Representation by GO’s of relevant departments
• Sectional heads of WDC are represented
• CBR monitoring committee is functioning separately
• Crisis Intervention Centre – Monitoring Committee is functioning separately

NETWORKING

Perhaps the greatest testament to WDC’s success is in how it has spread across the country. From its base in Kandy, the Women’s Development Centre has inspired and supported the creation of 14 women’s forums in 10 regions of the country, with each forum addressing the specific needs of women in their region.

At no time was the strength of the network more evident than after the devastating tsunami of 2004. In the eastern district of Ampara alone, more than 10,000 people died and close to 200,000 were displaced. Because of its organization of networks, the WDC was able to spring into action, providing food and temporary shelters, and later building more than 150 permanent houses. It continues to provide support and livelihood loans to women and families through its network forum offices in tsunami-affected regions.

“Our network is large, nearly 15,000 women now. And it is growing. We do many programs like this one that bring women together from all ethnic groups—Tamil, Sinhalese and Muslim—to encourage peace through sharing. Our hope is that one day the network will cover the entire country!”
(Lalitha Manike, WDC Network Coordinator)

The WDC Network offers the following benefits to women:

• Improves communication and understanding between women’s groups both within Sri Lanka and between local and international women’s organizations
• Increases opportunities for women to avail of resources and information
• Increases opportunities for women from different ethnic groups to learn more about the other groups
• Organizes programmes to reduce the prevalence of racial tension
• Facilitates the dissemination of information to women through the establishment of a resource centre with library facilities and a collection of materials relevant to women’s issues, research, activities, publications, etc.
• Organizes Kantha Melas, and exposure visits
• Networks with WDC foras established in ten districts: Anuradhapura, Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Ampara, Nuwara Eliya and Galle
• The National Network forum is in Kandy
• Networking with other NGOs, INGOs and GOs for advocacy and lobbying for legal reforms
• A counseling unit functions at WDC head office during the week
• The counselor assists clients on various issues affecting them, including psychological, social and legal counseling; and providing assistance and guidance for women in solving problems and making good decisions
• Clients are referred by the counselor to relevant additional services such as medical, legal, etc. 
The WDC Women’s Network is spread over ten districts:

• Vanni Women’s Forum (Vavuniya District)
• Rajarata Women’s Forum (Anuradhapura District)
• Hill Country Women’s Forum (Kandy District)
• Hanguranketha Women’s Forum (Nuwara Eliya District)
• Dakshina Lanka Women’s Forum (Galle District)
• Akkaraipattu Women’s Forum (Ampara District)
• Batticaloa Women’s Forum (Batticaloa District)
• Matale Women’s Forum (Matale District)

RESOURCE CENTRE

PURPOSE
Based at its head office in Kandy, the WDC Resource Centre provides access to information on various women’s issues through an in-house reference library and on-line services, and links to women and organizations working for women both inside and outside the country.

Other info

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE

To keep in touch with people and organizations working in similar fields to share information and ideas.

PURPOSE

To continually update studies in areas of women in the informal sector, women and sustainable development, women’s reproductive health and rights, the interface of culture, religion and law, women in political processes, participatory poverty assessments and globalization.

AREAS OF FOCUS

Reference Materials:

Keep reference materials ranging from news clippings to pamphlets, workshop and conference proceedings, government documents and unpublished reports, as well as periodicals, information packages, NGO publications and audio-visual materials.

Research:

Research and analysis of current women’s legal issues, women’s rights, violations against and oppression of women within Sri Lanka.

Publish and Disseminate Information

Circulate within the country the results of women’s studies, tools for training, awareness and advocacy tools such as guides, manuals, posters and cartoon booklets.

Exchange

Provide links to data sources of interest to women and those who are working to improve the situation of women in Sri Lanka; and those promoting women’s rights and gender equity.