MWRAF Women’s Centre

Rebuilding the Future

The Ampara District in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka was hardest hit by the tsunami. This district, which took the initial brunt of the tsunami, registered the highest death toll of 10,436 (33% of all deaths by the tsunami); displaced persons, 75,172 (44%); missing, 876; and fully destroyed houses, 29,077 (37 percent). One of the main reasons for the loss of life and property in the East coast, more particularly in the Maruthamumai, Sammanthurai and Kalmunai areas, is the density of population near the sea. Hundreds of houses had been destroyed as they were built within 200 metres of the sea.

Some displaced women were provided with shelter in the form of tents or huts with tin roofs. These tents and tin roofed accommodations are overcrowded, with very little ventilation. Both tents and tin roof accommodation are not suitable for the climate as they are very stuffy and hot inside. Men generally have access to public places like houses, streets and mosques. However women’s spaces are limited to these temporary shelters. Some of the displaced are living with friends and relatives, are faced with congestion and have no physical space of their own. It appears that permanent houses are a long way off for the displaced due to severe shortage of land in the eastern coast.

IWDA is supporting MWRAF (the Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum) to facilitate the building of a women’s centre. In the predominantly Muslim area, community centres cannot be shared with men. This centre will serve as a safe meeting place for women. It will have a place for newspapers and a library. Female students will be able to come and use the space for their studies. Women could also use the centre for their prayers. The centre will be managed by MWRAF in the initial stages and thereafter by the women themselves.  It is envisaged that construction of the centre will be complete by December this year (2006). When the women begin to use the centre, a training plan on peace building and gender for and by the women will be developed and implemented.

 

 

This project is finished.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 20th, 2006 under Sri Lanka.