Colombo, March 8 (newsin.asia) – Sri Lanka’s Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry, on Friday, launched special ‘all female compartments’ in passenger trains travelling throughout the island in order to ensure the safety of female passengers, local media said.
The additional compartments were unveiled on Friday morning, coinciding with International Women’s Day, on the Sagarika, Samuddra Devi, Maho, Bangadeniya, Rambukkana and Fowzie local trains which travel throughout the country.
The Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry said the compartments would help minimize the complaints of harassment faced by women in public transport while special security officers would also be deployed in each compartment to prevent any unruly behavior.
The additional all women compartments would also help reduce overcrowding in trains.
Sri Lanka, has in recent years faced a rise in women facing sexual harassment on public transportation, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
In a recent report titled ‘Sexual Harassment on Public Buses and Trains in Sri Lanka’ by the UNFPA, it said that at least 90 percent of women have faced harassment on trains and buses and incidents of sexual harassment is on the rise because victims refuse to speak up and opt to suffer in silence.
ADVERTISEMENT