Page 67 - Peoples_Journal_Sri_Lanka

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

05. The Role of Education & Voting Literacy

Research findings show a strong correlation between educational attainment
and women‘s participation in voting in estate communities. Women with at
least basic literacy skills are significantly more likely to understand the
voting process, recognize political symbols, and express a sense of political
responsibility. In contrast, illiterate women or those with minimal education
are often disengaged from political discussions and are more likely to be
misinformed or influenced by male family members. This gap reflects how
educational access plays a critical role in empowering women to make
independent voting decisions.

Another key observation here is that educated women, even at the primary
school level, showed greater confidence in discussing political issues and
candidates‘ policies. They reported feeling a sense of civic duty, and many
actively encouraged their peers to vote. In comparison, women without
formal education tended to view voting as a general responsibility or to
follow community or family voting patterns without critically assessing
political agendas. This suggests that even limited education fosters political
awareness and critical thinking among estate women voters.

Research also shows that literacy enables women to access a variety of
information sources, such as newspapers, campaign posters, and radio and
television programs. This exposure has improved their understanding of
political party platforms and election-related issues. In focus group
discussions, literate women could recall party manifestos, promises made to
estate communities, and even question the credibility of candidates. On the
other hand, illiterate women often relied solely on hearsay or the decisions of
male relatives, indicating limited agency in the voting process.

However, the study also found structural barriers that limit the translation
into meaningful political engagement. Despite a basic education, some
women hesitated to vote due to language barriers (as most materials are in
Sinhala or English), lack of proper identification documents, or restrictions
imposed by estate management and family structures. These constraints
indicate the need for targeted interventions, such as voter education