提高斯里兰卡妇女的劳动力参与率（英）

Enhancing Women’s Labor ForceParticipation in Sri Lanka KEY POINTS •With only one in everythree women active in thelabor force in Sri Lanka,the country’s female laborparticipation is one ofthe lowest in South Asia.The gender gap in labor force Kathleen McLaughlinGender Policy ConsultantGender Equality DivisionClimate Change and Sustainable Ketevan ChkheidzeGender SpecialistGender Equality Division Social and gender norms,women’s unpaid work,gaps in support for careservices and labor laws,occupational segregation,and lack of access to training INTRODUCTION Increased women’s labor force participation drives sustainable economic growth byexpanding the workforce, boosting productivity, and raising domestic demand forgoods and services.1A World Bank study estimated that increasing women’s labor forceparticipation would raise South Asian gross domestic product by 13%–51%, dependingon the number of gender barriers to employment removed.2As countries reach genderparity in education, encouraging women to enter the labor force at rates similar tomen maximizes the benefits of investing in workforce skills development.3Promoting Recommendations forincreasing female laborforce participation includereviewing labor laws,improving maternitybenefits, addressing sexual Sri Lanka’s gender gap in labor force participation is 37.3 percentage points, a thirdhigher than the global average and 5 percentage points higher than for all countries S. Fabrizio et al. 2020. Women in the Labor Force: The Role of Fiscal Policies. IMF StaffDiscussion Note.World Bank. 2024.South Asia Update: Women, Jobs and Growth.D. Halland and K. Ell. 2023.Close the Gender Gap to Unlock Productivity Gains. Moody’s.4S. Pimkina and L. de la Flor. 2020.Promoting Female Labor Force Participation. World Bank Group.UN Women. 2024. Five Things to Accelerate Women’s Economic Empowerment.6United Nations Development Programme. 2025. Human Development Report: Gender InequalityIndex. The gender gap is the percentage point difference between male and female labor ISBN 978-92-9277-792-0 (print)ISBN 978-92-9277-793-7 (PDF)ISSN 2071-7202 (print)ISSN 2218-2675 (PDF)Publication Stock No. BRF260167-2 GENDER PATTERNS IN THE LABOR plans to shift from crisis management to a fully developedeconomy by 2048.7Sri Lanka has committed to increasing femalelabor force participation as one of the targets for achieving its Sri Lanka’s FLFPR for the population aged 18 and above is 31.6%,less than half of the male labor force participation rate (MLFPR)of 72%.11Sri Lanka’s female-to-male labor force participation rate(LFPR) ratio increased from 2012 to 2017, reaching 49.1%, but hassince steadily decreased and is now the second lowest in South Through its country partnership strategy, 2024–2028, the AsianDevelopment Bank (ADB) supports Sri Lanka in pursuing itsnational economic transformation and sustainable development.8As part of its knowledge support for exploring strategies tostimulate inclusive growth, ADB supported a study examiningthe factors influencing the female labor force participation rate(FLFPR) in the country.9The study analyzed sex-disaggregated Rural–Urban Divide As available data suggests, Sri Lanka’s FLFPR is slightly higherin rural areas than urban areas, but the gender gap in laborforce participation is similar across these categories (footnote 11).FLFPR is highest in the estate sector (plantation industry) at 39%, Based on the key trends highlighted in the study, this brieffocuses on the major issues surrounding female labor forceparticipation in Sri Lanka. It also applies data and analysisfrom various sources to inform development practitioners,governments, and other stakeholders. The brief is structuredaround the following sections: gender patterns in the labor market Although only modest differences are evident across sectors,high variances exist across district locations. According tothe 2024 labor force survey, the highest FLFPR is in Vavuniyadistrict (43.2%), and the lowest is in Ampara district (15.6%). Enhancing Women’s Labor Force Participation in Sri Lanka in the labor force compared with 12% of women (footnote 11).Men are concentrated in construction, utility supply,waste management (11%), and transport and storage (9%).In comparison, only 1% of women work in these sectors. Womenare concentrated in education, accounting for 11% of femaleemployment. Although information and communication makes Employment Sectors Figure 3 highlights that agriculture, forestry, and fisheriesaccount for the highest share of total employment amongmales and females. Besides this similarity, male and femaleemployment patterns differ by industry group. Althoughmanufacturing employs many women and men, female segregation, a pattern that global research links to prevailingsocial norms about the types of employment considered Education LevelEducation is a key factor for reducing the gender gap, with FLFPR very close to MLFPR at the highest education levels (Fig