IPS Director of Research Speaks on the Female Labour Force Participation in Sri Lanka
04 March 2020
World Bank Office, Colombo
The female labour force participation in Sri Lanka is governed by a complex set of interrelated factors. The social norms in Sri Lanka are such that females take the greater responsibility to take care of their families. As such, females either opt out of market work, or prefer to work closer to home and in jobs that are not demanding. However, research shows that better educated women are able to access good jobs that give them the resources to balance work-life activities better.
These insights were shared by IPS Director of Research, Nisha Arunatilake, on 04 March 2020 at the ‘South Asia Women in the Workforce Week’, organised by the World Bank South Asia Regional Gender team in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Gender Platform team. Dr. Arunatilake took part as a key guest in a moderated conversation with the World Bank’s Sri Lanka Country Director, Idah Pswarayi-Riddihough, on female labour force participation in Sri Lanka.
Government policies towards improving education, better work opportunities, better and affordable child care facilities and safe and affordable transport can help to improve female labour force participation in Sri Lanka, Dr. Arunatilake added.