A common problem?

Sri Lanka has long had a chronic problem of low women participation in the labour force, with the number staying static at about 34%. But Sri Lanka is not alone in this challenge and it is worth looking at what steps are being taken in other parts of the world to encourage and enable more women to enter the workforce. 

Women in jobs or those seeking work in the Philippines made up just under half the working-age population over the last two decades, held back by social expectations that they will care for homes and children, according to a new study. 

The Philippine rate of 46% in 2018 pushed its female labour participation below regional peers, such as Indonesia at 52%, Malaysia at 51% and Myanmar with 48%, highlighting the need to fight workplace stereotyping and discrimination. 

In South Asia, the numbers are lower still, with female labour force participation in India falling to 26% in 2018 from 36.7% in 2005, amid a lack of access to quality education and underlying social and economic barriers limiting opportunities for women. Pakistan is also in the same range with about 25% participation. 

Stereotyped gender roles of ascribing to women the primary responsibility of taking care of homes and to men the job of family provider, undermine the labour force participation of women. Such a low rate could eventually hurt economic development and hold back the progress of women’s rights in these countries, according to experts. 

Among the solutions presented to the Philippine government are remedial measures that could range from laws for employers to offer day care, boost paternity leave beyond seven days now or bring religious beliefs, civil status and pregnancy status within the scope of anti-discrimination law.

In the family-oriented Philippines, as well as many other countries around the world, women often quit work after getting married or having children, particularly during the peak childbearing ages of 25 to 29.

The disruption in active economic participation during this phase of the lifecycle is observed only for women and not for men. When they do find work, women are limited to certain occupations and denied male counterparts’ opportunities for wider employment.

In Sri Lanka there is a growing imperative seen by some policymakers to provide support so women can build an environment for skilled women to create their own opportunities. This means addressing social norms about working women and promoting an environment where women can balance work and family. 

The degree of job segregation remains high: most jobs are still in male-dominated sectors that may be seen as inappropriate for women. It also means addressing gender-based differential treatment under the law, which the Sri Lankan Government has pledged to tackle, but is likely to find a hard and long road. 

Mentoring is another aspect that needs desperate attention. Indebtedness created in some parts of Sri Lanka, particularly in the north, is largely due to female entrepreneurs being lured into making bad financial decisions in limited ventures. In fact, in studies done on successful female entrepreneurs, mentorship has been ranked above capital in importance, and often makes the difference between a sustainable model and a pipe dream. 

The campaign for women’s empowerment should not be looked at in silos, but understood as an issue that spans the entire economic sphere: only then will positive policies be utilised for true change. If other countries are attempting to work on these challenges then surely it is time for Sri Lanka to also try harder.