Women’s Economic Empowerment in Sri Lanka: Advocating for ChangeWomen’s Economic Empowerment in Sri Lanka: Advocating for Change At a recent media event hosted by the Advocata Institute and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, three prominent women, Dr. Roshan Perera, Shyamali Ranaraja, and Gayani de Alwis, highlighted the need for urgent legislative reforms and societal changes to empower women economically in Sri Lanka. Women’s Policy Advocacy Network (WPAN) Dr. Perera, Chair of WPAN, emphasized the importance of collective advocacy and the network’s focus on six key areas: * Constitutional reforms * Labor laws * Recognition of the informal sector * Social infrastructure * Women’s participation in the digital economy * Financial inclusion Employment Barriers for Women Shyamali Ranaraja addressed the challenges women face in employment, citing societal disincentives for returning to work after childbirth and marriage. She highlighted the need for legislation to address these barriers and protect women’s rights. Precarious Work Ranaraja also drew attention to the precarious nature of women’s work, emphasizing the lack of recognition and protection for domestic workers. She called for the formalization of domestic work to ensure fair wages and decent working conditions. Mindset Change Gayani de Alwis stressed the crucial role of mindset change in empowering women economically. She highlighted the challenges women face in accessing finance and the need for awareness about gender equality. Holistic Approach The speakers emphasized the need for a holistic approach that combines legal reforms with societal changes. They called for the establishment of childcare centers in new developments to support working mothers and for the inclusion of gender equality discussions in all levels of education. Conclusion The media event shed light on the urgent need to address the barriers to women’s economic empowerment in Sri Lanka. By advocating for legislative reforms, promoting social infrastructure, and changing mindsets, the country can empower women and unlock their full potential in the workforce, contributing to economic growth and societal progress.
by Sanath Nanayakkare
Dr Roshan Perera (Chair, Women’s Policy Action Network), Shyamali Ranaraja (Lawyer) and Gayani de Alwis (First Vice President, Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce) last week explained to the media how urgent legislative reforms and societal changes are needed to reduce barriers to women’s economic empowerment in Sri Lanka.
It was heartening to see that these three women, who have had all the opportunities and blessings in their lives, want the same for all Sri Lankan women. They spoke at this media event jointly organized by the Advocata Institute and the Kingdom of the Netherlands on July 11 at the BMICH Colombo.
The title of the event was: “Unlocking Potential: Policies for Women’s Economic Empowerment”.
Dr. Perera outlined the establishment and objectives of the Women’s Policy Advocacy Network (WPAN). She stressed the need for collective advocacy and highlighted WPAN’s focus on six critical areas: constitutions, labor laws, recognition of the informal sector, social infrastructure, women’s participation in the digital economy and financial inclusion which is elusive for women entrepreneurs.
“While there are many agencies working in this area, we felt it was necessary to bring all these efforts together to amplify the voice for change in this area,” said Dr. Perera.
Shyamali Ranaraja addressed the precarious nature of employment for women, highlighting societal disincentives that hinder their return to the workforce after childbirth and marriage. She pointed out that current legislation creates significant barriers to women returning to work, with another critical point around age 50, which coincides with eligibility for EPF payments.
She highlighted the precarious nature of the work available to women, noting that domestic work was excluded from the 2016 Minimum Wage Act, underscoring the need for formal recognition and improved protection for domestic workers. “If Sri Lanka itself does not provide women with a basic wage for domestic work,” she asked, “how can we expect other countries to pay expatriate domestic workers equally?”
“Saying that women should be able to work at night without providing infrastructure to address it is meaningless,” she said. She suggested that simple legislative changes could drive change. She suggested that “new condominium developments should by law have childcare centres, which will not affect the state finances. Such a move will make a huge difference to women’s empowerment.”
“The Gender Equality Bill was written to fail – the legal terminology was not appropriate,” Ms Ranaraja stressed. She also highlighted that the few women in government, despite representing an electorate that is over 50 percent female, are publicly ridiculed and harassed by male politician colleagues in front of the entire nation. “The burden of implementing solutions must primarily lie with the state,” Ms Ranaraja stressed, linking her advocacy for systemic changes in social infrastructure to broader societal and legislative reforms. This holistic approach, she suggested, is crucial to creating an environment where women can fully participate in and benefit from the workforce, address inequalities and ensure equal opportunities across Sri Lanka.
Ms de Alwis emphasised the crucial role of mindset change in empowering women economically. “Laws are good, but how do we really change the minds of people at the grassroots level?” Ms de Alwis asked. She pointed to the challenges women face in accessing finance and the discouraging environment in financial institutions. Sri Lanka’s ranking of 122 out of 146 countries in gender equality reflects significant disparities in economic participation, education, health outcomes and political empowerment, as measured by the Global Gender Gap Index. “Awareness is key,” Ms de Alwis asserted. She called for more support for women entrepreneurs and urged the inclusion of discussions on gender equality at all levels of education to dismantle misogynistic attitudes. “The issue of mindset change needs to be discussed at all levels,” she stressed, especially at school age to remove deep-rooted stereotypes.
