Do Not Resuscitate
It is illegal to take one’s own life in Sri Lanka. And in addition to the legal blocks, the cultural stigma against suicide is extended to the idea of death with dignity…
Author: Devika Brendon
Handmaids’ Tales
The results of the recent election in the US have highlighted several concerns and one which is clearly of significance was the public preference for a male leader, however brazenly flawed, over…
Power To The People
Reflecting on the recent elections in both Sri Lanka and the US is an interesting exercise particularly because, as the two countries now have synchronized election cycles, comparisons and contrasts are readily…
Youth Suicide: Need for Greater Intergenerational Awareness
The recent incidents reported in the Sri Lankan media regarding youth suicides have revealed that the mental and emotional wellbeing of our children is in serious decline. This a global phenomenon, with…
Evolution, Not Revolution
I have a few comments to make about the rather inevitable and predictable recent attempts on social media to try and attack and diminish Dr. Harini Amarasuriya’s authority via comments about her…
The Pivotal Moment and the Long Game
Frankl The US and Sri Lanka are in synchronized election cycles. Eight years ago I wrote an article called “US And Them” about certain correlations which were then observable. So much has…
A New Low In Bro Behaviour
Look up “schoolgirl” and “rape” and “Sri Lanka”. There are many stories which are posted by Google Search with those taglines. We have to refine the search for the most recent atrocity…
Villains and Victims
A recent discussion about “toxic masculinity” has prompted a great deal of comment, particularly as the host and his guest appeared to comment favourably on the media personality Andrew Tate and the academic…
The Conquering Hero: “Success” in Danushka Gunathilaka’s Sexual Assault Case
In the 11 months just past, several media reports were busy portraying the events in the trial of Danushka Gunathilaka, the Sri Lankan cricketer charged with sexual assault and violence against a…
So Out Of Touch
The recent incident after the final of the Women’s World Cup Football event highlighted some issues that are not likely to be glossed over or erased. The behaviour of Luis Rubiales, President…
Changing Workplace Culture By Embracing Equity
Two weeks ago, a complaint was made by Ms. Ishara Devendra, a journalist, about her workplace culture at ITN. Ms Devendra’s allegations, posted on her personal Facebook page, were that she had…
Teardrop on Fire: Exposing Gender Based Violence
For her documentary film Teardrop On Fire, Jessica Palden interviewed many people who have directly experienced domestic abuse and intimate partner violence in Sri Lanka. The footage for the film was generated…
Not Upstanding Citizens
Some countries have a Ministry For Women’s Affairs. Some call it The Department of Women’s and Children’s Affairs. Some countries do not even have a token ministry to uphold the welfare and…
Brilliance and Resilience
There have been dark times in Sri Lanka in 2022. Economic anxiety and disruption of existing supply chains for the essential services of food, gasoline, petrol and electricity led to profound distress…
The Never Ending Saree
Recently an attempt to prompt Sri Lanka forward into the 21st century was stymied. On November 21 some female school teachers posted photographs of themselves on social media dressed in their interpretation…