Non-farm Small enterprises will be promoted and women etrepeneurs assisted iwith investments and training.

Primarily, the project will provide grant assistance to supplement women’s investments in small agriculture, fisheries and livestock as well as promote non-farm micro-enterprises among women. Social mobilization will play a key role in the project with gender awareness programs targeting the entire community. Participatory methods will be employed in small self help group formation, conducting group meetings, group decision making and in planning and implementation of all project activities. A key aim of the social mobilisation process will be to ensure that Women’s Societies assume greater responsibilities in social and economic activities at the community level.

As is the experience of all civil conflicts, women are disproportionately affected by war. Many women in the North and East have been widowed and displaced. Harassment by military personnel, forcible recruitment of children by the LTTE, restrictions on mobility and the constant threat of gunfire and bombings have traumatised women throughout the conflict period. For those women displaced from their homes, poor health, maternity care and sanitation in refugee camps and resettlements have been the norm.

Although accurate figures are not available to assess the poverty levels in the northeast, some isolated baseline surveys carried out in villages bordering the north east suggest that nearly 50% of the population in the north east could be below the poverty line. Women bear a greater part of the impact of that poverty. Fewer employment opportunities available for women coupled with restricted mobility under war conditions makes them more susceptible to seasonal fluctuations of mostly agriculture based income and employment opportunities.

Traditionally, women’s involvement in economic activities in the northeast has remained very low even during pre-conflict times. In 1981, only the Jaffna district has shown a higher proportion (34%) of women among the economically active population (compared with 59% for men). In all other districts in the northeast, the proportion of the economically active female population was between 8- 17% (65-74% for men). In 1996, the ratio of economically active population in Jaffna fell to 21% whilst the employment rate rose 6% for men.

Even in the current post conflict situation the ability for women to become socially and economically active is marginal due to cultural barriers and inadequate access to information, training, land and capital.

With the current peace making agreement between the Government and the LTTE, normalcy is developing rapidly in the war-ravaged northeast. Many government, donor, NGO and private sector initiatives are being planned and some are already in place that are aimed to rebuild the war damaged northeast. Since women remain adversely affected and marginalised due to the protracted war situation coupled with traditional and cultural barriers, the need to provide space and opportunities for women to participate in the rebuilding of their shattered society and economy is of paramount importance. The evidence available with several women led development initiatives in other parts of the country shows that women play an important role in uplifting the household economy, particularly among the very poor and the disadvantaged segments of the society. Therefore, it is vital that such experiences are incorporated into development interventions during the current post conflict situation in the northeast.

The International Women’s Mission to the North East of Sri Lanka stated, “as displaced people, as refugees, as survivors of military offensives, landmine injuries and sexual violence, as mothers and girls, and as soldiers and combatants, women experience conflict differently from men… Yet women have had very little influence over the decision-making processes that determine the course of conflict and they continue to have little influence over peace processes”.

he main objective of the Sewalanka Women’s socio economic empowerment project is to sustainably enhance the role of women at the household and the community level in the social and economic rebuilding of the war affected northeast. This role enhancement will take place in three major areas – (i) idea generation and decision making (ii) representation and voicing, and (iii) access and control of resources.

The Sewalanka project will be implemented in ten villages in the districts of Vavuniya; Jaffna ;and Trincomalee. These three districts, although comprised predominately of Tamils, have different social, cultural and economic settings. For example, Vavuniya district has a relatively higher population of Singhalese (23%) concentrated mostly in the southern part of the district, 29% of the population in Trincomalee comprises of Muslims while Jaffna district has a predominantly Tamil population (99%).

The approximate number of families who will benefit from the project is 3321 with at least one woman in each family targeted to participate in project activities.