Page 62 - Peoples_Journal_Sri_Lanka

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ISSN 3121-3049
People's Journal Sri Lanka Volume 01, Issue 01

Introduction

Voting is a fundamental right and a crucial sign of political empowerment
and involvement in democracies. Over the decades, Sri Lanka was a nation
that established universal suffrage in 1931 and has consistently had
comparatively high voter turnout rates relative to other democracies
(Department of Elections,2023). However, the political involvement of
women, especially those from marginalized estate communities, remains
critically under-researched. Approximately 4.4% of Sri Lanka‘s population
resides in estate sectors, primarily consisting of tea and rubber plantations
(Department of Census and Statistics, 2012). A total of 3.6 million workers
live in plantation communities, and the majority of them are Hindus who
speak Tamil and are descended from South Indian plantation laborers
brought to the nation by British colonists in the 1800s. (Pasic,2014).
Systemic obstacles to civic engagement, infrastructure, healthcare, and
education long existed in many areas. Women in this marginalized group
suffer a double burden. Deeply embedded gender inequality restricts their
social and political agency, and they are vulnerable not only because of their
ethnic and socioeconomic identities. Even while women in these areas make
substantial contributions to the economy, they frequently do not participate
in politics or are greatly swayed by patriarchal family and community
systems when it comes to voting. While much research has explored
women‘s political participation in Sri Lanka, the specific dynamics of estate
women‘s voting behavior remain under-researched. This study addresses this
gap by focusing on the structural and cultural factors that influence women‘s
voting behavior.

Objectives
Main Objective

To investigate the voting behavior of women in the Estate community,
Akuressa, by examining the social, cultural, political, and economic factors.

Specific Objectives

To identify the social and cultural influences, including family and
community structures, that shape women‘s voting decisions.