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Sri Lanka's president rejects move to allow women to buy alcohol | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A move to grant women in Sri Lanka the same rights as men to buy alcohol legally has been overruled by President Maithripala Sirisena. | A move to grant women in Sri Lanka the same rights as men to buy alcohol legally has been overruled by President Maithripala Sirisena. |
He told a rally he had ordered the government to withdraw the reform, which would also have allowed women to work in bars without a permit. | He told a rally he had ordered the government to withdraw the reform, which would also have allowed women to work in bars without a permit. |
He said he had only found out about the move from the newspapers. | He said he had only found out about the move from the newspapers. |
The government announced on Wednesday it was amending a 1955 law, agreeing that it discriminated against women. | The government announced on Wednesday it was amending a 1955 law, agreeing that it discriminated against women. |
Critics have accused the president of not taking gender equality seriously. | Critics have accused the president of not taking gender equality seriously. |
"This is not just about this archaic sexist law but the archaic sexist system in which this law is just one more tool of control," wrote one Sri Lankan blogger. | "This is not just about this archaic sexist law but the archaic sexist system in which this law is just one more tool of control," wrote one Sri Lankan blogger. |
What would the reform have meant? | What would the reform have meant? |
While the previous law was not always strictly enforced, many Sri Lankan women had welcomed the change. | While the previous law was not always strictly enforced, many Sri Lankan women had welcomed the change. |
It would have allowed women over the age of 18 to buy alcohol legally for the first time in more than 60 years. | It would have allowed women over the age of 18 to buy alcohol legally for the first time in more than 60 years. |
A ban on alcohol being sold outside the hours of 09:00 to 21:00 would have been changed to allow sales between 08:00 and 22:00. | A ban on alcohol being sold outside the hours of 09:00 to 21:00 would have been changed to allow sales between 08:00 and 22:00. |
Why did the president step in? | Why did the president step in? |
Leading monks in the Buddhist-majority country had criticised the decision to lift the ban, arguing it would destroy Sri Lankan family culture by getting more women addicted to alcohol. | Leading monks in the Buddhist-majority country had criticised the decision to lift the ban, arguing it would destroy Sri Lankan family culture by getting more women addicted to alcohol. |
Saying he had listened to criticism of the government's step, President Sirisena told the rally he had ordered the government to withdraw its notification announcing the lifting of the ban. | Saying he had listened to criticism of the government's step, President Sirisena told the rally he had ordered the government to withdraw its notification announcing the lifting of the ban. |
It came as no surprise to some as he runs an anti-alcohol campaign and has warned in the past that alcohol consumption among Sri Lankan women is increasing "drastically". | It came as no surprise to some as he runs an anti-alcohol campaign and has warned in the past that alcohol consumption among Sri Lankan women is increasing "drastically". |
However, commentators say the abrupt cancellation of the government's reform suggests there are differences within the coalition government. | However, commentators say the abrupt cancellation of the government's reform suggests there are differences within the coalition government. |
Why is the president being accused of hypocrisy? | Why is the president being accused of hypocrisy? |
Mr Sirisena has encouraged women in the country to play a more active part in politics, boasting last year that his government had acted to ensure more women were returned at future elections. | Mr Sirisena has encouraged women in the country to play a more active part in politics, boasting last year that his government had acted to ensure more women were returned at future elections. |
His apparent double standards over the alcohol issue drew anger from both women and men on Twitter on Sunday. | His apparent double standards over the alcohol issue drew anger from both women and men on Twitter on Sunday. |
Just how much do women drink in Sri Lanka anyway? | Just how much do women drink in Sri Lanka anyway? |
According to World Heath Organization data from 2014, 80.5% of women never drink, compared to 56.9% of men. | According to World Heath Organization data from 2014, 80.5% of women never drink, compared to 56.9% of men. |
Less than 0.1% of women above the age of 15 are prone to heavy drinking, compared with 0.8% of men in the same age bracket. | Less than 0.1% of women above the age of 15 are prone to heavy drinking, compared with 0.8% of men in the same age bracket. |
A majority of women in Sri Lanka traditionally choose not to drink alcohol as they see it as contrary to Sri Lankan culture, the BBC's Azzam Ameen reports. | A majority of women in Sri Lanka traditionally choose not to drink alcohol as they see it as contrary to Sri Lankan culture, the BBC's Azzam Ameen reports. |
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