An Analytical Study on the Political Participation of Women Estate Workersin relation to Pilagodawaththa Estate

Abstract

South Indian workers were brought to Sri Lanka in the colonial era by the British planters to deploy them in hard labour in the newly cultivated coffee, tea and later rubber estates mostly in the central hills. Although they were granted citizenship of Sri Lanka with independence, their rights were held back by lately elected governments. Some others were sent back to India under the Sirima -Shasthri Pact. Eventually, by 2004, citizenship was granted to all the remaining Indian origin plantation workers. Since then, although they enjoyed the freedom to engage in politics the participation of female plantation workers in politics still remainsminimal. This research paper attempts to identify anddiscuss the reasonsfor female plantation workers’ lack of political activism employing both primary and secondary sources for the study.The study was conducted in the Piligodawattha Estate of the Baddegama Divisional Secretariat area. The data is analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively.The objective of the study is to identify prototypes in order to encouraging female plantation workers. The study further recognizes the following; the patterns of exploitation of women in plantations, masculine domination in family, educational level and problems in social relations as the reasons for the lack of participation in politics.