| Description |
1 online resource (xv, 172 pages) : illustrations, maps |
| Series |
Directions in development. Countries and regions |
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Directions in development (Washington, D.C.). Countries and regions.
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| Contents |
Front Cover -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- About the Authors -- Executive Summary -- Study Background, Motivation, and Approach. Introduction; Conceptual Framework for Examining Women's Labor Market Outcomes in Sri Lanka; Notes; References -- Summary of Descriptive Data on Labor Market Outcomes: Demographic Changes over Time. Gender Gaps in Labor Force Participation by Residential Sector, Age, District, and Ethnicity; Gender Gaps in LFP by Household Income Level, Poverty, and Migration; Gender Gaps in LFP Are Rising at All but the Highest Education Levels; Gender Gaps in Unemployment, Wages, and Employment Type; Notes; References |
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Hypothesis Testing: All Explanations for Women's Poor Outcomes Are Still Supported. Household and Family Roles and Mobility Constraints Still Penalize Women in Labor Markets, Especially Women with Young Children; Skills Mismatch and Occupational Segregation; Gender Bias and Discrimination; Notes; References -- Conclusion and Way Forward: General Recommendations. Summary; General Recommendations (Cross-Sectoral); Notes ; References -- Findings and Recommended Good Practices for Five Private Sector Industries. Information and Communication Technology; Tea Estates; Tourism; Garments; Commercial Agriculture; Notes; References -- Appendix A. Sri Lanka: Country Gender Profile -- Appendix B. Data and Methods -- Appendix C. Full Regression Results from Secondary Data Analysis of Labor Market Outcomes -- Appendix D. Descriptive Statistics from Primary Data Analysis -- Appendix E. Key Informant Interviews |
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Figure 1.1. Labor Force Participation, by Country -- Figure 1.2. Female Labor Force Participation, by Select Country, Economic Status, and Region, 1993-2017 -- Figure 1.3. Conceptual Framework -- Figure 2.1. Labor Force Participation, by Age and Gender, 2009 and 2015 -- Figure 2.2. Labor Force Participation, by Gender and Residential Sector, 2006-15 -- Figure 2.3. Labor Force Participation, by Gender and Ethnicity, 2009 and 2015 -- Figure 2.4. Labor Force Participation, by Education and Gender, 2009 and 2015 -- Figure 2.5. Unemployment, by Age and Gender, 2015 -- Figure 2.6. Unemployment, by Education Level and Gender, 2015 |
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Figure 3.1. Reasons for Not Working Last Week -- Figure 3.2. Perceptions and Knowledge of Childcare Facilities -- Figure 3.3. Social Acceptability of Long-Distance Commuting and Migration for Unmarried Men and Women -- Figure 3.4. Social Acceptability of Long-Distance Commuting and Migration for Married Men and Women -- Figure 3.5. Gender Differences in Skill Level, by Education, 2015 -- Figure 3.6. Gender Differences in Skill Level, by Education, 2009 -- Figure 3.7. Workers' Perceptions: Most Important Characteristics Employers Seek in New Hires -- Figure 3.8. Employers' Expectations: Most Important Characteristics of Male and Female Workers |
| Summary |
Sri Lanka has shown remarkable persistence in low female labor force participation rates-at 36 percent from 2015 to 2017, compared with 75 percent for same-aged men-despite overall economic growth and poverty reduction over the past decade. The trend stands in contrast to the country's achievements in human capital development that favor women, such as high levels of female education and low total fertility rates, as well as its status as an upper-middle-income country. This study intends to better understand the puzzle of women's poor labor market outcomes in Sri Lanka. Using nationally representative secondary survey data-as well as primary qualitative and quantitative research-it tests three hypotheses that would explain gender gaps in labor market outcomes: (1) household roles and responsibilities, which fall disproportionately on women, and the associated sociophysical constraints on women's mobility; (2) a human capital mismatch, whereby women are not acquiring the proper skills demanded by job markets; and (3) gender discrimination in job search, hiring, and promotion processes. Further, the analysis provides a comparison of women's experience of the labor market between the years leading up to the end of Sri Lanka's civil war (2006-09) and the years following the civil war (2010-15). The study recommends priority areas for addressing the multiple supply- and demand-side factors to improve women's labor force participation rates and reduce other gender gaps in labor market outcomes. It also offers specific recommendations for improving women's participation in the five private sector industries covered by the primary research: commercial agriculture, garments, tourism, information and communication technology, and tea estate work. The findings are intended to influence policy makers, educators, and employment program practitioners with a stake in helping Sri Lanka achieve its vision of inclusive and sustainable job creation and economic growth. The study also aims to contribute to the work of research institutions and civil society in identifying the most effective means of engaging more women- and their untapped potential for labor, innovation, and productivity-in Sri Lanka's future |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references |
| Notes |
Resource, viewed April 29, 2020 |
| Subject |
Women -- Employment -- Sri Lanka
|
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Women -- Sri Lanka -- Social conditions
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Economic history
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Women -- Employment
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Women -- Social conditions
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| SUBJECT |
Sri Lanka -- Economic conditions
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| Subject |
Sri Lanka
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| Author |
Joseph, George, 1957- author.
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Kuriakose, Anne T., author
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Sethi, Jayati, author
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| ISBN |
9781464810688 |
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1464810680 |
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