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Displaced Women - Rights and Resettlement North & East Sri Lanka: 2003

Center for the Study of Human Rights

-- Sophia Elek

At present, thousands of displaced women throughout the North and East of Sri Lanka are leaving the camps, villages and homes where they have endured nineteen years of conflict. They will meet an uncertain future – facing a further upheaval that for some may be a final chapter to a life shaped by displacement.

A number of recent studies document the overall situation of Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) within Sri Lanka, while internationally a body of work exists on factors affecting women in conflict. However, the Centre for the Study of Human Rights (CSHR) embarked on this study with the aim of enhancing understanding of the specific experiences and needs of women IDPs within Sri Lanka. Our focus was on the factors affecting women following the February 2002 Ceasefire Agreement and resultant peace process. The nature of this study prohibits an exhaustive analysis of the problems facing women who are displaced but living in the broader community, and instead focuses upon issues facing displaced women living in welfare centres (WCs, or camps[i]) and resettlement and/or relocation villages.

During October - December 2002 CSHR travelled through the North and East of Sri Lanka, meeting with IDPs – women, men and children – and international and local non-governmental organisations (I/NGOs) whose work centres on IDPs and their 'host' communities.

The importance of Women's Voices

Rather than being subsumed into the broader needs of all IDPs, this report aims to highlight that displaced women face specific issues that other members of the displaced communities do not. The following issues were named as critical by displaced women:

The varying roles women play within the common experience of being displaced – we look at differences that arise due to ethnicity, age and marital status

The needs of female-headed households (with an emphasis on widows)

The practical concerns of women during displacement arising from the traditional roles of women

Violence against women because of the confusion and changing social boundaries that result from displacement

Positive features resulting from displacement have also resulted, such as increased participation in previously male domains. These may be crucial in reducing the challenges for displaced women upon resettlement/relocation

The importance of involving all members of the community – including males – to effect broad change

Women's role in decision making, conflict resolution & empowerment were also changing in many areas throughout the North and East

All of these factors listed remain for women when they contemplate return. Upon resettlement/relocation the practical needs of women are immense. They include:

Women – from female headed households particularly – may not have the skills or resources to consider resettlement or relocation

Negotiating with relevent authories in relation to assistance packages is a difficulty faced by many IDP women

We conclude that adopting a Rights-based Approach to Resettlement would be one way that the needs of women, and other marginalised sectons of the community may be addressed.

We raise the questions as to whether the rights of women are adequately recognised within the peace process – both within their communities and internationally. The answer we found was that it appears already within these broader debates, the rights of women are marginalised. Displaced women expressed a dissatisfaction with the current level of commitment shown to women's rights so far during the process, but largely felt unable to contribute: not knowing how, who or where to direct their concerns. The recent establishment of a women's committee advising the government upon resettlement issues for women may see this change, and their voices may become audible.

As we began our research into the factors facing IDPs as they contemplate resettlement or relocation, displaced women spoke immediately of the specific ways in which they have experienced displacement. As we will examine, these factors have coloured their experiences as displaced peoples, and will shape – to varying degrees – the decisions they make following the Ceasefire agreement. For this reason, before tackling the 'practical' features of resettlement such as land and property rights, we saw the need to look further into the role of women in conflict, and how the experience of displacement has been informed along gendered lines.

Diverse Roles of Women in Conflict

While the role and involvement of women IDPs during conflict, and now following the Ceasefire share many features, they are also richly varied. Women of different ethnicities, of different marital status, ages, and backgrounds all fall under the title of 'IDP', yet their lives and experiences are unique. Women respond differently to programs that are offered due to their ethnicity, ages and marital statuses.

We feel that acknowledging women as victims of war is a first step in developing strategies that accommodate their positions as marginalised displaced persons. However, this does not mean that women should not be recognised as individuals with a will and capacity to contribute to the current discussions about resettlement.

Many women spoke highly of NGOs that sought to meet the diverse needs that they themselves identified, rather than imposing an agenda upon them. For example, older women, who have become displaced late in life, have a wealth of knowledge and skills that are unknown to those who may have born in the welfare centres. A few programs sought to bring together both older women and cross-generational women to share and learn from each other. These opportunities strengthen connections and culture that may have become weakened during displacement, and aid the practical transmission of skills and knowledge vital for women who live and work on the land.

Female-Headed Households

Of all the issues that were raised by displaced women, martial status may be the factor that stood out the most. All who work with IDPs are aware of this fact; that the needs of single, female headed households are immense, and are not adequately met. To their credit, many NGOs we met were attempting in some way to address this issue.

As men are traditionally more likely to join militant forces, be killed in action or 'disappear', thousands of women are now the sole economic and social support for their families. Not only must their gendered roles be fulfilled, but these women must learn to relate to the world in ways previously unheard of: among the challenges are finding external employment, and liaising with government forces, militants and aid officials. Despite these changes, patriarchal values continue to pervade many aspects of women's lives, with the discrimination against widows of major concern. Substantial challenges remain in addressing the political, or structural issues faced by women.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity is clearly far too large an issue to cover in a brief summary. One thing we can mention is the importance of offering culturally appropriate programmes for women. A trend that is occuring in the Muslim community is for men to leave their families to assess the state of their land, before the family joins them in resettlement. Because of this, Muslim women in spoke of their needs for adequate protection while their men are away. Of all the women we spoke to, Muslim women also named themselves as slow to come forward to take a leading role in their communities. Making the decision of whether or not to resettle is an enormous one, and moves can be made to enusure all women's voices – Muslim, Tamil and Sinhalese – are heard. Consistently we heard reports that Sinhalese women were the most eager to take part in programs or development initiatives, followed by Tamil and Muslim women.

Gendered Diemsions of Conflict

What we found striking however, was the number of women who saw that their needs as women were the same despite differing ethnicicities. This we feel is due to the shared responsiblities and work that arises due to gender. Due to these responsiblities, women suffer violations, threats and insecurity that other sections of the displaced communities do not. Attempts by displaced women to fulfill their responsibilities within the family – providing for their family's basic needs including food, water and healthcare – become difficult by the scarcity of resources and dangerous due to military presence and land mines. Displaced women told us that seeking adequate health care, schools and support was increasingly difficult, if not impossible during displacement. Only now are some of these services becoming available, through the work of various GoSL and I/NGO intiatives.

Risk of Sexual Abuse

Because of the confusion and blurred social boundaries resulting from flight and displacement, women suffer from increased threat of sexual and other forms of violence from external forces (military, police or militant cadre etc.), members of other ethnic groups and from their own communities. Seeking justice for these abuses is rare, and has proved largely ineffectual when attempted. This is due to a combination of insensitive and inadequate reporting mechansims and a lack of awareness of many women about their rights.

Dependency

We found that a 'dependency syndrome' was commonly spoken of by NGOs we met. We felt that this is closely connected to the length of time displaced peoples have been recipient of government and international assistance and the manner in which this has been given. IDPs and a number of NGOs spoke of the non-participatory, largely top-down structures that provide emergency and development assistance. These were commonly seen as contributing to the sense of apathy displaced peoples commonly feel – opposed to a lack of desire upon the part of displaced peoples to take control over the direction of their lives.

If resettlement strategies can involve displaced peoples from the outset in designing and implementing activities, this factor may be lessened. Innumerable international studies point to the importance of women's participation in emergency relief and development – theory and practice that can well be used in Sri Lanka's resettlement schemes. A Rights-based approach to development consistently point to the benefits that result from involving women.

Positive Features for Women

Although women have stuggled and suffered with the losses and changes that have resulted from displacement and the upheavels of return, there are also positives that have resulted. Strict gender roles have become more maleable – offering women the oppurtunitiy to experience life outside of generally accepted parameters. Many women spoke highly of these changes, and saw the increased oppurutunities for women gained through the war as 'fast-tracking' a process that would have taken years to bring about in normal conditions.

Many hope, however, that the ability for women to work and expand their options will be strengthened with an absence of war. Internationally this has not been the case for women, and many women felt it to be critical that the gains achieved for women must not be lost in the transition to 'normalcy'. The majority of women throughout the North and East did not see this as a possiblity for them; our hope is that their confidence in their own abilities and the attitudes of those in power will make a difference.

The existance of LTTE female cadre was continually cited as a source of strength by Tamil and Muslim women. However, it remains to be seen whether the LTTE will involve women in a meaningful way – and other minority groups – in a potential Interm Administration. It is too early to tell whether the LTTE statements about women's equality and inclusion at high level decision making will be put into practice. We met some LTTE women who were inspiring in their beliefs about women's integral role in the LTTE's future political structures, but the overarching control that the male leadership holds over the lives of its citizens and cadre does not point toward an inclusive leadership.

Economic & Psychosocial Issues

We also looked at how I/NGOs working in the North and East are attempting to meet the needs of displaced women. While an exhaustive analysis of programmes has not been attempted, two areas stood out in their importance: a woman's ability to earn a livelihood and be economically independent and the emotional needs of displaced women addressed through psychosocial programmes.

We have seen that as women become the sole, or significant, economic provider in their families they also gain in their ability to partake in decisions that impact their own lives. Economic independence provides greatly enhanced options for women, and many programmes offered by NGOs seek to facilitate women's income generation. Entrance into external employment in order to meet their basic needs was necessity for many displaced women. This employment however, often places a double burden on women, as they stuggle to meet all the needs of their families in the public and private realms. Providing opportunities for women to continue their economic activities, or become financially secure upon resettlement is essential.

The field of psychosocial programmes is one presently challenged by the rapid development of a wide variety of programmes with differing aims and application, with an absence of regulating standards. Our experiences concur with a number of recent studies which find that if the specific needs of women are not adequately recognised by national and international agencies from the outset of assistance or development a ineffectual – or negative – experience may result for women.

Empowerment

The majority of NGOs we met with however, sought to effect change primarily through the establishment of women's groups; strengthening and empowering women was viewed as the first step towards a broader campaign for rights. We found a clear distinction between the small number of NGOs who seek to bring about change through actively promoting women's rights, and the majority of NGOs prioritise women's practical concerns, and then move from that platform into issues of rights and empowerment. Whatever the methods, these moves were welcomed by a broad cross-section of women as being ways to enhance their identity's as strong individuals with rights worthy of respect: essential for women upon resettlement.

The Role of Men

Because gender discrimination is perpetrated largely by men toward women – and in some cases sanctioned by traditional societal sturctures – addressing these issues cannot be done without the involvement of men. Despite the proliferation of programmes for displaced women, substantial challenges remain in addressing the political, or structural issues they face. Patriarchal values continue to pervade many aspects of women's lives, with decision making, conflict resolution and agency over their lives an unmet ideal for many women.

Peace and Resettlement

Despite these myriad hardships, the spirit, determination and resiliance were striking features of the majority of women we met in the North and East. Facing extremes of poverty, trauma and continuing uncertainty, women consistantly astounded us with their commitment to their families' survival and well being. Their ingenuity and imagination was infectious. As we spoke about peace, and the possibility of it breaking down and rendering some of these women displaced once more, the need to bring about permanent peace became paramount. Facilitating this, a large number of displaced women and NGOs emphasised the centrality of addressing the underlying causes of Sri Lanka's conflict in order to effect sustainable, long term change. Within the immense shifts occuring in the social and political landscape of Sri Lanka, addressing the practicalities of peace and resettlement needs to be strengthened through a parallel emphasis on inter-ethnic reconciliation.

Resettlement: Practical Issues

Practically, women share many needs felt by all displaced people: for a safe, dignified and supported way to resettle, relocate or establish themselves more permanently where they are. The top priorities for those we spoke to were the clearance of landmines and un-exploded ordnance (UXO), establishment of essential infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, and being assured of ways to support themselves finacially.

For women, female headed households particularly, the economic and physical realities of resettlement – involving heavy work of clearing dense bush, building shelter and establishing fields and crops – are daunting, if not impossible tasks. Women spoke of selling their food rations to gain money for this, or taking out loans to meet their costs. Women also spoke of the harsh gossip and rumours that result from engaging with men who are not from their immediate familes that stopped some of them asking assistance from 'outsiders'.

A number of displaced women also felt unsure about their ability to successfully negociate with aid and government agencies with regard to official assistance packages, compensation for lost land and property and/or for a deceased spouse. It is imperitive that relevant information reaches women in a way they can understand.

The trend we witnessed of males leaving camps and areas of temporary settlement to assess a family's land and begin the physical work prior to a family's relocation is also an option many female headed households do not have. The landless women are also among those who are not moving; unsure of their rights and options for the future.

Rights-Based Approach to Development & Gender Sensitive Policy

These are the main issues that stood out in our fieldwork and research. We hope that through a greater understanding of the ways conflict and displacement affect women may assist in forming policies that ensure their protection now and in the future. Looking for solutions to some of these issues, we were led early on in our study to become interested in looking at the models set out in a 'rights-based approach' to assistance and development.

This approach has been developed to strenghten the ability of state and non-state actors to respond effectively and appropriately with emergency assistance and development. The guidelines have been developed upon the most widely recognised set of minimum standards for human survival and dignity. It offers a perspective that places those receiving aid as partners – citizens with entitlement to the full realisation of their human rights – as oppsed to passive recipients of resettlement packages. This would mean inclusion of women throughout the process of designing, implementing and evaluating gender-responsive resettlement strategies.

A Rights-based appoarch to development has been developed in attempt to ensure accountablilty of all actors, stressing the importance of clear planning, participation and priority setting in order to empower and build the capacity of those in need. To achieve this in practice, the norms, standards and principles of the international human rights system could be agreed to by the GoSL, and integrated into their resettlement plans. The rights of IDPs to participate in determining how resources are distributed and policies formulated are central to this. A Rights discourse will give voice to women.

While challenges and uncertainty remain, unique oppurunities exist to take advantage of what is now known about the experience of displacement for women. If aid, assistance or support is to achieve its goals, the importance of flexible, contextulised and responsive programmes cannot be overemphasised. Displaced women throughout the North and East told us that their needs are simple: a safe and productive place to live, to be respected within their families and communities, for services and facilities that will enable their own and their families' needs to be fulfilled, and most importantly – to live without fear.

Sophia Elek is an Australian currently working for The Centre for the study of Human Rights, based at the University of Colombo. Her time is spent divided between education, training and research in the field of human rights education. Her interest in gender, human rights and development has led to work in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka.