The Fight for Abortion Rights in Sri Lanka
In a country where abortion remains criminalised under colonial-era laws dating back to 1883, Sri Lanka has long denied women the fundamental right to make decisions about their own bodies. The recent…
Search Results for: abortion
Bodily Harm: Abortion and the Rights of Women in Sri Lanka
The title of this article is taken from a collection of short stories by Margaret Atwood who has attained celebrity cult status recently due to her dystopic novel The Handmaid’s Tale, which…
Extracting Labor, Constructing Power: The Right to Abortion
resurj Sri Lanka enshrines a right to universal healthcare but critically neglects women in this universal promise. Acknowledging that abortion is politicized through its economic and colonial history is crucial for recognizing…
Abortion – Where is Sri Lanka On The Spectrum?
“If you are not in favour of legal abortion, then you are in favour of illegal abortion” Prof. Arulkumaran On October 28, 2012, Savita Halappanavar, a young Indian dentist, died in Ireland…
Abortion: A Reply
In an article a few weeks ago, I argued that an embryo is a person with dignity and rights, and that this must change how we see both abortion pregnancy. There were…
Let Women Decide: Some Feminist Perspectives on the ‘Abortion Debate’
At this moment in Sri Lanka, ‘the abortion debate’ has sprung up once again; with the cabinet purportedly attempting to pass a bill which would legalize abortions for women under two circumstances[1]…
A womb of one’s own: Life, abortion and motherhood in Sri Lanka
Photograph: Paul Mezzer/FRF/Getty via The Irish Times From well-intentioned comments about our weight and skin colour, to the insidious experience of being followed as we walk on the street, women are wearily…
Abortion, Women and Personhood
The government’s plans to liberalise Sri Lanka’s abortion laws has polarised public opinion. Abortion is either supported as a natural extension of a woman’s autonomy and right to choose, or is opposed…
The Abortion Debate: The Absence of Questions
The government of Sri Lanka recently announced plans to widen the scope of the law on abortion. This initiative was subsequently put on hold because of strong opposition from religious leaders and…
The Abortion Debate: Mismatched and Misplaced?
Image courtesy Asia Society I once came into contact with a woman on account of a professional relationship we had. We had met to discuss her prolonged absence from work. With a…
A Daunting List of Human Rights Problems to Address
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his NPP government have inherited a daunting list of human rights problems to address. In his election manifesto, President Dissanayake pledged to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism…
Protecting Women in a Patriarchal Society
The statistics speak for themselves. Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) as well as child abuse have reached alarming proportions throughout the country; several cases are reported daily in the media. One…
Chasing the Elusive Rainbow
news click What does a second Donald Trump presidency really mean, especially for women and minority rights not only in the US but also globally? (Un)fortunately, we have a considerable number of…
A Critical History of Women’s Health in Modern Sri Lanka
In her latest work Darshi Thoradeniya, a senior lecturer at the University of Colombo, gives an insightful exploration of the history of women’s health in Sri Lanka, shedding light on lesser known…
SL Faces International Pressure to Set its Human Rights Record Straight
Kumanan Sri Lanka is wrestling with deep-rooted human rights challenges despite pledges for reform. Accountability, civil liberties and governance issues remain stubbornly unresolved, casting a long shadow over the nation’s future. The…
