Return-Path: <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j0DCK4n29029; Thu, 13 Jan 2005 07:20:04 -0500 (EST) Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 07:20:04 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <A8309CFA-655C-11D9-8437-000393ABE4D2@litwomen.org> Errors-To: listowner@nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "mev@litwomen.org" <mev@litwomen.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:3109] Fwd: Women's Groups appeal for an inclusive framework for disaster response X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.553) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Status: O Content-Length: 5918 Lines: 172 I saw this on a women's studies list and thought it might be interesting to folks on this list. Mev Begin forwarded message: > From: "Kathleen O'Grady" <kaogrady54@HOTMAIL.COM> > Date: Fri Jan 7, 2005 9:46:28 AM US/Eastern > To: WMST-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Subject: Women's Groups appeal for an inclusive framework for disaster > response > Reply-To: "Women's Studies List" <WMST-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU> > > This press release is from women's organizations in Sri Lanka. Contact > information is: > > Women and Media Collective, 20/1, 8th Lane, Nawala, Sri Lanka. > e-mail Address: womedia@sltnet.lk > Telephone: 94 + 011 + 2805127 / 2805579 > > Contact persons are: Sepali Kottegoda and Kumudini Samuel > > > PRESS RELEASE > > Women's Groups appeal for an inclusive framework for disaster response > > > > A collective of women's rights groups who have conducted a series of > fact-finding missions in the tsunami-affected areas over the past week > wishes to bring to public attention serious issues concerning the > safety and > wellbeing of women which have not been addressed so far in relief > efforts. > > > > We appreciate the many public initiatives to collect and deliver > relief and > assist those affected by the tsunami in whatever ways are possible. > However, > our observations indicate that these efforts need to be refocused to > ensure > that those who have suffered as a consequence of the tsunami are not > subjected to further violence and abuse by unscrupulous persons. > > > > The heightened vulnerability of people in these areas due to the > destruction > of communication lines and the large-scale mass displacement and death > of > people has created situations in which women and girls become more > likely to > encounter violence. > > > > a.. In particular, we have received reports of incidents of rape, gang > rape, molestation, and physical abuse of women and girls in the course > of > unsupervised rescue operations and while resident in temporary > shelters, > particularly in the south. Apart from these incidents (the number of > which > is not known), these reports have also indicated that women's mobility > continues to be restricted due to the fear of sexual violence. No > proper > monitoring body has been set up to receive complaints, to take action > against perpetrators, or to ensure the safety of women in these areas. > > > a.. We urge government authorities, and the Ministry of Women's > Affairs, > in particular, to take note of these violations, and to take immediate > measures to investigate such incidents. We also urge collaboration > between > state institutions and agencies such as UNHCR, OXFAM and other agencies > working on gender-based violence in this matter. Provision of adequate > security and establishing complaints mechanisms should be an urgent > priority > in the relief process. > > > a.. We are also concerned that the information flowing from the > Tsunami-hit areas does not provide detailed accounts of the numbers of > specific vulnerable communities such as pregnant women, lactating > mothers, > persons with physical and mental disabilities, persons with special > medical > needs and requiring daily and consistent medication. The collection of > such > data is absolutely critical for identifying priority needs in the days > to > come. In addition, accurate record of all those hospitalised after the > tsunami should be given wide publicity. > > > a.. The lack of a system that could identify children separated from > their > families has also hampered efforts to locate families missing children > or to > resettle children with relatives in the locations where they were > found. We > strongly urge the National Child Protection Authority to work in > coordination with the Department of Probation and Childcare Services > to set > up a mechanism to address this problem. > > > a.. As an initial step, measures should be taken to call on all those > who > know whereabouts of unaccompanied children to register them at the > nearest > Police Station or at the desk of the Department of Child Care and > Probation > Services at the Divisional Secretariat, and to give adequate publicity > through the print and electronic media as to the present whereabouts of > children. > > > a.. The role that the media can play in helping people to find missing > persons and children should be systematised so that there is no > duplication > of efforts but rather a fruitful collaboration. > > > a.. The inadequate structures of coordination within the government > bureaucracy at the level of Kachcheris and Divisional Secretariats is > also a > matter of grave concern. In view of the fact that government officers > in > local administration who were resident in the areas have also suffered > personal loss during this time, it is imperative that the government > seconds > senior and middle-level government officials to take over > administrative > functions in the tsunami affected areas in order to ensure that these > structures are able to function efficiently for relief efforts. > > > a.. Considering the enormous destruction to life and property, we > urge the > government to postpone the Advanced Level Examination and all > university > examinations. > > > Women's groups throughout the island are committed to extend their > fullest > support to both state and non-state structures that will work for the > provision of immediate relief as well as for medium and long-term > reconstruction and rehabilitation of all those people of Sri Lanka who > have > been affected by the tsunami in the framework of sustainable > development and > a lasting and just peace. > > > > MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS OF LANKA > > SRI LANKA WOMEN'S NGO FORUM > > WOMEN'S ALLIANCE FOR PEACE > > WOMEN'S ALLIANCE FOR PEACE AND DEMOCRACY > > ACTION NETWORK FOR MIGRANT WORKERS >
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