YMWL celebrates 50 years of community service

It is especially praiseworthy that the founders of this league had the vision to bring Muslim ladies together, establish their organization and work for the less advantaged members of their community. I believe Muslim ladies have a much bigger role to play in the progress of our country”
- Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunga

Sri Lankan women’s labour force participation is low. In the discussion with IMF this figure has been discussed as something Sri Lanka will have to address. Sri Lanka has what is called an ‘economically inactive’ population,”
- Farzana Haniffa, Professor Department of Sociology,
University of Colombo 

Inaugurated on July 3, 1973 the Young Muslim Women’s League (YMWL) was established with a vision to serve underprivileged people across all communities. From humble beginnings the members have raised funds with numerous fundraisers such as musical shows, charity bazaars, fashion shows and sometimes standing on roads with tills to collect money.
Some of their notable projects include setting up a crèche in Kirulapana where parents in less privileged families could leave their children in a safe and healthy environment while they are at work. Other projects include the school meals programme, a kola kenda (porridge made of greens) programme for pregnant mothers, Ramadan hamper distribution and the maintenance of the female surgical ward at the Kalubowila Hospital among many others. During its recently concluded Golden Jubilee Anniversary, the stalwarts who initiated the cause and carried its mantle forward including its founder Farida Jiffry were felicitated.

Shedding light on female labour force participation, Farzana Haniffa, Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of Colombo said that women’s participation in the labour force is as low as 31% while for men it is 70%. “In Sri Lankan universities the participation of women is routinely higher across all faculties other than in the faculties of engineering and IT. In the Arts faculty, where I teach, the numbers are as high as 90%. Interestingly however, Sri Lankan women’s labour force participation is low. In the discussion with IMF this figure has been discussed as something Sri Lanka will have to address. Sri Lanka has what is called an ‘economically inactive’ population, that is people who are of working age, 15 years or above, but who are engaged in studies or household duties or retired or old or disabled persons. This group of persons- which is called economically inactive- constitutes 50.2% of our working age population. 72% of the economically inactive population is female. Statistics published by the Labour Force Survey indicate that 89% of women between the ages of 25-34 and 93% of women between ages 35-54 are economically inactive as they are engaged in house work. House work includes all care work including child care, elderly care, caring for the sick and also includes cooking, cleaning and doing laundry. This also includes the maintaining of relationships,” added Haniffa.
She further said that when discussing women’s labour force participation what is mostly spoken about is that there are norms and attitudes that prevent women’s participation in work. “It is only rarely that the issue is discussed in relation to who is actually going to do the care work if women engage in other jobs,” she said. Prof. Haniffa further suggested that a society that wants women to work should provide facilities for good quality child care and elderly care and women should be able to access facilities to manage house work. There should be a sharing of the care and house work burden among partners,” she underscored.

Appreciating the service rendered by the YMWL former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunga said that 50 years ago, when this organization was born, we knew that in Sri Lanka women in general and especially Muslim women were expected to relegate themselves to their homes and remain quietly. “It is especially praiseworthy that the founders of this league had the vision to bring Muslim ladies together, establish their organization and work for the less advantaged members of their community. I believe Muslim ladies have a much bigger role to play in the progress of our country,” said President Kumarathunga. “Women’s representation in Parliament for instance is very low. Thanks to the 25% quota we can now have one quarter of elected women in local government bodies. But I’m personally aware that most ladies elected into provincial councils etc., have been treated very badly by their male counterparts,” she said.  
She further said that more women should be trained and empowered to engage in politics. “One major problem women in this country face is sexual abuse, rape and harassment.The highest incidence of physical abuse of women happen in their own homes in the hands of their husbands or partners. In the last few years this has increased exponentially. Women abuse is incredibly high in this country. But society as a whole and the government especially turns away. Perhaps this is an area where YMWL can take leadership; at least among Muslim ladies,” she added.