Pri's blog

The UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo organised a policy dialogue on inequality in honour of Frances Stewart. Frances Stewart's guru status has been achieved through the elaboration of the concept of " horizontal inequalities ". Prashan Thalayasingam, colleague at CEPA made an excellent presentation on the inequality and conflict panel at the dialogue, and I agreed, somewhat rashly to serve on the panel about gender and inequality. In my discussion on the gender and inequality panel, I tried first to look at gender inequality in the same framework as horizontal inequalities. Using some of the concepts of the horizontal inequality discourse I made the following observations. Gender differences are socially significant. They have meaning for women and for men i.e. for the members of the two gender groups. The inequality influences behaviours and wellbeing in a significant way. The inequality is particularly marked in the differential access to resources. Women typically h...

Some of the outcomes of a panel discussion on the subject that I facilitated at the Asian Transport Forum at the Asian Development Bank in Manila on the 11th September, interspersed with some thoughts of my own... What is inclusive transport? The World Bank discusses the issues relating to inclusive transport as " the availability of transport services for the poor, women, persons with disability and the elderly has emerged as an important issue in the context of a number of transport policies. It requires the removal of institutional and physical barriers and the enhancement of incentives to increase the accessibility of diverse individuals and groups to transport opportunities" (see : http://go.worldbank.org/61NANCE7X0) The ADB looks at the need to pay special attention to mobility and accessibility especially of low-income households as differentiated by their gender, age and ability. They aim to ensure equitable and affordable transport and ensure access to the ...

I spent two weeks in Singapore at the end of February with a friend who was having radio therapy. Enjoyed it, inspite of myself. But there are somethings that are very disturbing. For instance, everything in Singapore is manufactured, to near perfection maybe, but manufactured and unspontaneous nevertheless. Take the Night Safari, the Jurong Bird Park , both leisure centres, manufactured for the recreational needs of Singaporeans. Why travel to the Mara or to Serengeti or to Kruger when its been brought right into your neighbourhood? Take the trees, many of them rootballed from the Malaysian forests I am told, planted always in a row, with branches growing like the arms of dancers in a synchronised ballet. Take the most frightening manufacture - Singapore Firepower, proudly "better, smarter and more lethal" (My paper, Thursday, February 21) Showcased at the Singapore Airshow during the time of my visit. First of its kind, the Redback Weapon System - a lightweight multibarrel ...

Gender Dimensions of the Millennium Developmebt Goals in Sri Lanka I was one of three speakers at the launch of the UNDP’s “Gender Dimensions of the Millennium Development Goals in Sri Lanka” volume. The publication was researched and written by a team from CENWOR (Centre for Women’s Research http://www.cenwor.lk/ ). The other two speakers were Dr Anila Dias Bandaranaike, former Director of Statistics and Assistant Governor at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, and Dr Pat Alailima, a former Director General of Planning. Distinguished company. My remit was to talk about Goals 3 and 7 in all of 10 minutes – so here, not quite verbatim, is what I said. I began by congratulating the writers, researchers and compilers of the report. [Though I didn’t say it, I did think while I was reading it “trust the women to be realistic rather than euphoric about Sri Lanka’s much lauded social indicators and gender equality achievements”!] I also congratulated the UNDP for putting out an eye-catching and at...

I think I am fast becoming the UNDP's MDG favourite! Was asked to talk this time at the launch of the "Gender Dimensions of the Millennium Development Goals in Sri Lanka" publication, researched and written by CENWOR (Centre for Women's Research). The other speakers were Anila Dias Bandaranaike and Pat Alailima. Unfortunately the only man invited to the head table to speak, Dr D S Jayaweera, Head of the National Council for Economic Development (NCED) was called away to attend to more important things, so there was a bunch of females talking to a largely female audience, who true to form raised some interesting questions - watch this space for what I said! While you are waiting, did anyone tell you the story about the multilateral agency that has its senior officers checking the minutae details of consulting firms' expense claims to the level of asking the firm to explain why they served 30 sandwiches at a workshop where there were only seven participants? The ...

I expect all of you know what the MDGs are: the Millennium Development Goals, signed up to by donor and developing countries alike, as targets for alleviating poverty in the world. For more information go to: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ This blog is to share with you a presentation I made about these goals and taking them forward, at the launch of the mid-term MDG review publication for the Asia region at the UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo. I had been rather hesitant in accepting the invitation because I have always been rather uncomfortable with the MDGs. But I decided to take the bull by the horns and start by explaining why I am saying I am uncomfortable with the MDGs. This in no way denies the fact that the Millennium Declaration and the MDGs served to focus the world’s attention on poverty, and on issues like hunger, infant mortality, education etc. There are many reasons for my discomfort, and several of them have implications for what I would like to see as the way forwa...