Geetha wants to reimpose restrictions on women with children working overseas

18 January 2024 10:42 am - 12 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Kalani Kumarasinghe

Colombo, Jan. 18 (Daily Mirror)- State Minister of Women and Child Affairs Geetha Kumarasinghe has called for the reintroduction of regulations which prohibit women with children under the age of five, from seeking overseas employment.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, State Minister Kumarasinghe said that the current provisions allowing women with young children to migrate for employment is unfair to children.

“I think this is very very unfair. A two year old child can’t talk, let alone do anything on their own. They are not in safe hands. Therefore the women with such young children shouldn’t go to work, leaving their child. At least they should wait for the child to turn five years,” Kumarasinghe explained.

“This is my personal opinion and I’m going to request that the age limit be revised,” she added.

In 2022, the Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara submitted a Cabinet paper requesting the revision of the regulation. The Cabinet's decision to partially ease the Family Background Report (FBR) requirement for female migrant workers was welcomed as a positive step towards encouraging female labour migration from Sri Lanka.

Critics of the policy have argued that the FBR introduced in June 2013 to deter women with children under the age of five was discriminatory, and encouraged undocumented migration of workers. Initially, the FBR only applied to female domestic worker departures, but in August 2015, it was extended to include all female migrants.

Asked if the State Minister was in talks with the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment, Kumarasinghe said that she will be having a discussion with President Ranil Wickremesinghe who is also the Minister of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment.

“As soon as the President returns from his overseas travel, I will be taking this matter up with him,” she said. Kumarasinghe said that she is ready to follow up the matter with Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe as well.

When inquired if State Minister Kumarasinghe has communicated her request to revise the regulations, Minister Nanayakkara’s Media Secretary said no such communication had taken place and that the Minister has not been consulted on the matter.

The minimum age requirement for women with children who seek employment overseas has been discussed at length, at the Parliamentary level, with the Parliamentary Select Committee on gender equality requesting to make necessary recommendations. Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle of the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus in the past has also requested the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment to reconsider the cabinet decision. She said that the optimal physical and mental development of the children will be adversely affected during the first five years of a child’s life, especially in the case of absent mothers.

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Comments - 12

Rip Winkle Thursday, 18 January 2024 11:08 AM

She occasionally comes out of hibernation and proposes something without any real interest in it just for show.

Nihon Sudda Thursday, 18 January 2024 11:09 AM

Karapallako kiyawa kiyawa inne nethuwa! Mewa hena basic dewalne..

Puswadilla Thursday, 18 January 2024 11:38 AM

Another lunatic. Apart from acting, parliament benefits, heating the parliament seat, what has she done?

Terrence K Thursday, 18 January 2024 11:55 AM

Very Good Idea! but who is going to ensure that the families be given three meals a day and taken care of all essentials. All this bushit talk should stop as the public have lost their livelihoods with the Pottu party's poor economic policy of bringing this country to bankruptcy. All legislators have expressed sweet nothings even in developing the exixting agricultural sector. self employment and many avenues as a way to sustain their livelihoods and thats why many female emigrants are leaving the country and to test this be an observer by visiting the passport office to see the clamour to leave our shores.!!!!!!

Curious Thursday, 18 January 2024 12:11 PM

Hmm, even Geetha can come up with some sensible things to say, once in a while!

Patcitz Thursday, 18 January 2024 02:03 PM

So, are you saying that should Mothers having children being starved, let after their children die of hunger and go abroad? A Very Good suggestion for this era. Well, you can HUG someone else HUSBAND by dancing, singing, and even sleeping with them to earn money, but decent mothers can not do that.

Nethra Thursday, 18 January 2024 02:36 PM

Also, please find out if that Priyasad woman who is known as the biggest joke of the social media, is indeed capable of becoming a Child Protection ambassador.

Joshua Thursday, 18 January 2024 03:19 PM

Nonsense from an useless politician. You may tell this to old MR

Citizen k Thursday, 18 January 2024 04:11 PM

All your suggestions are good.Now go out into the the roads along with our central bank governor and other ministers and device plans how to help these mother's to feed their families.So get cracking and stop preaching.

sss Thursday, 18 January 2024 06:02 PM

Ms. Geetha then how can you and other politicians and professionals (contributing nothing to economy) get dollars to import dutyfree luxuries like cars

DOT Thursday, 18 January 2024 06:29 PM

While appreciating your genuine effort: I am asking a simple question, Why are they trying to leave? Can you or your government assure the economic safetly of their families? The simple answer is NO!

Concerned Friday, 19 January 2024 11:48 AM

This lady has been very famous on the acting scene thru 3solid generations. Given the respect of that the journalist publishing this article should actually dig deep to personal reasoning as to why she has brought on this suggestion. If Srilankans keep drowning anyone who opens their mouth then there soon will not be any Srilankans left. And that's the story of current Lankans. Get both sides of stories Daily. Many of your articles become a joke for bystanders because stories are very one sided.

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Geetha wants to reimpose restrictions on women with children working overseas

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