Woman laws at Sri Lanka
Here’s a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of women’s legal rights and protections in Sri Lanka:
1. Constitutional Equality & Political Participation
Women’s Suffrage
Women in Sri Lanka have enjoyed the right to vote since 1931—one of the earliest in Asia. The Constitution also explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sex and ensures equality before the law.
Political Representation
In 2016, Sri Lanka mandated that local councils must include at least 25% women. However, women currently hold only 5–6% of parliamentary seats and remain underrepresented in provincial and national decision-making.
2. Protection Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Domestic Violence Laws
The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act (PDVA) of 2005 provides protection orders—interim ones valid for 14 days, and full orders valid up to 12 months. These prohibit abusers from entering homes, workplaces, or contacting victims. Victims retain the right to pursue civil or criminal cases.
Sexual Harassment & Rape Laws
Sexual harassment is criminalized under the Penal Code (1995 amendment). Sri Lankan law defines rape broadly—including statutory rape below age 16, except when married before age 12.
Access to Protection
Despite legal frameworks, less than 1% of domestic violence survivors apply for protection orders, signaling cultural stigma and lack of awareness.
3. Reproductive & Abortion Rights
Strict Legal Restrictions
Abortion is illegal except to save the life of the mother, punishable by up to 3 years imprisonment, or up to 7 years if fetal movement (“quick with child”) is detected.
Calls for Reform
The Law Commission proposed broader grounds for legal abortion—such as rape, incest, fetal impairment, and therapeutic reasons—but reforms have repeatedly stalled due to conservative resistance.
Unsafe Realities
Illegal abortions continue widely via informal networks. Post-abortion care is freely available, reducing mortality, but stigma and criminalization persist. Maternal deaths from unsafe abortions account for 10–13% of pregnancy-related deaths.
Ongoing Proposals
Late-stage proposals (2025) aim to allow abortions in cases of fetal abnormalities, but advocates emphasize these are insufficient without broader decriminalization and women's inclusion in lawmaking.
4. LGBTQ+ Rights & Anti-Discrimination
Emerging Legal Protections
Recent legislation includes sexual orientation under special personal data category and recognizes gender and sexual orientation in victim vulnerability assessments. Additionally, the Women Empowerment Act (2024) explicitly protects women from discrimination on grounds including sexual orientation.
Decriminalization Efforts
LGBTQ+ activist Rosanna Flamer-Caldera secured a landmark UN ruling (2022) recognizing Sri Lanka’s ban on same-sex activity as a human rights violation. The Supreme Court has permitted a decriminalization bill to proceed toward Parliament.
5. Additional Rights & Cultural Context
Child Marriage & Consent Laws
Sri Lanka sets minimum marriage age at 18 for both genders, making child marriage rare (~2% of all marriages) relative to neighboring countries.
Legal Barriers in Divorce
Absence of “no-fault” divorce means women must prove “malicious desertion,” such as cruelty or adultery, making it difficult to dissolve abusive marriages.
Summary Table
| Domain | Status in Sri Lanka |
|---|---|
| Constitutional Equality | Established (1931 suffrage, anti-discrimination) |
| Political Representation | 25% local quotas; ~5–6% women in Parliament |
| Domestic & Sexual Violence Laws | PDVA in force, sexual harassment offenses exist; high stigma, low uptake |
| Reproductive Rights | Highly restricted abortion; calls for reform ongoing |
| LGBTQ+ Anti-Discrimination & Reform | Legal protections emerging; decriminalization in progress |
| Child Marriage & Family Law | Child marriage rare; divorce laws unfavorable to women |
Final Thoughts
Sri Lanka enshrines formal rights for women across suffrage, domestic protection, and anti-discrimination. Yet, reality often falls short—with enforcement weak, cultural stigma high, and progressive legislation either lacking or delayed. Key areas like reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ equality show signs of shift, but meaningful progress requires sustained advocacy and societal change.
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