Sri Lanka: Treatment of young female Burghers; state protection from sexual harassment and assault available to them
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 28 June 2002 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LKA39368.E |
| Reference | 5 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sri Lanka: Treatment of young female Burghers; state protection from sexual harassment and assault available to them, 28 June 2002, LKA39368.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be641c.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
No information on the treatment of young female Burghers in Sri Lanka could be found among sources consulted by the Research Directorate within time constraints.
According to a representative of the U.S. NGO Forum on Sri Lanka, Burghers, who represent one per cent of the population, do not experience significant discrimination or harassment in Sri Lankan society (27 June 2002). The representative explained in a telephone interview that these Eurasians, of either Dutch or Portuguese ancestry, are not implicated in the ethnic conflicts currently present in Sri Lanka (ibid.). The representative stated that he has heard of harassment of women of all ethnic origins in Sri Lanka, particularly at airports (ibid.).
Sri Lanka has a National Committee on Women located in Narahenpita, with legal officers available (Daily News 6 Sep. 2001). The government has also opened a women's complaint centre in Colombo and several counselling centres to assist women seeking free assistance in cases of financial need, domestic violence and all forms of harassment (Daily News 1 Dec. 2001).
According to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, " ... in recent times there has been an increase in the violence against women. [ ...] we are seeing an increasing incidence of rape throughout the country. The IGP (Inspector General of Police) recently pointed out that in 1980 this number was 170. It is now about 1,000. That is a dramatic increase" (Financial Times 4 Jan. 2002).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Daily News [Colombo]. 1 December 2001. Nadira Gunatilleke. "Latest Weapon to Combat Violence Against Women." (NEXIS)
_____. 6 September 2001. "National Committee on Women's Centre for Gender Complaints." (NEXIS)
Financial Times. 4 January 2002. "'Sri Lankan Women are Better Off, But ... ' – Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Special Rapporteur." (NEXIS)
Forum on Sri Lanka. 27 June 2002. Telephone interview with a representative.
Additional Sources Consulted
IRB Databases
Internet sites including:
Age of Consent
Amnesty International
Daily News [Colombo]
The Hindu [New Delhi]
The Hindustan Times [New Delhi]
Human Rights Watch
The Island [Colombo]
Ministry of Women'S Affairs – National Committee on Women
Minorities at Risk
Minority Rights Group
U.S. Department of State
World News Connection (WNC)