By Skandha Gunasekara
Despite women making up 52% of Sri Lanka’s population, the Government asserted there wasn’t a need for a cabinet ministry for women’s affairs, as it believed a state ministry would be more targeted for the subject. Government Spokesman and Minister of Mass Media Keheliya Rambukwella said that a state ministry was adequate for the subject.
“A state minister would be able to focus on such a subject better than a cabinet minister,” he claimed.
However, he went on to say that a cabinet minister would oversee such a state ministry.
“Of course, the subject of women’s affairs would come under the purview of a cabinet ministry. The only difference with a state minister would be that he would not be able to submit a cabinet paper separately for that subject.”