By Visvalingam Muralithas –

Visvalingam Muralithas

Women’s empowerment is a critical pillar of economic development and has evolved into a central policy priority shaping national and global development agendas. Over the past several decades, Sri Lanka—working in collaboration with the international community—has introduced legislation, policies, and development programmes aimed at enhancing the rights, opportunities, and overall well-being of women and girls. These interventions align with the broader global policy domain of “women’s issues,” which encompasses workplace equality, leadership representation, access to health and education, prevention of gender-based violence, and the advancement of women’s participation in peacebuilding and governance.

Despite these commitments, gender inequality continues to constrain economic growth, weaken governance, and undermine social stability. Empowering women is not just a moral or social obligation—it is an economic necessity. Countries that ensure equal participation of women experience faster growth, stronger institutions, and more resilient communities. For Sri Lanka, which is navigating fiscal recovery, demographic transitions, and post-conflict development, women’s empowerment must be recognized as a pillar of economic transformation.

Although women make up slightly more than half of the world’s population, their socio-economic participation remains disproportionately low. Gender inequality is deeply rooted in unequal power relations shaped by cultural norms, economic structures, and institutional frameworks. These barriers limit women’s agency in household decision-making, marriage and family life, access to healthcare, educational opportunities, employment and entrepreneurship, as well as civic and political participation.

Global data underscores the scale of these disparities. Women constitute only 39% of the global workforce and consistently earn less than men for comparable work across nearly all sectors. In more than 70 countries, women do not have equal property or inheritance rights, while in over 40 countries, domestic violence is not fully criminalized. Additionally, women and girls make up 60% of the world’s food-insecure population, highlighting the urgent need for policies that address systemic inequalities and empower women economically, socially, and politically.

These inequalities are not only unjust—they are economically irrational. The World Bank estimates that closing gender gaps in the labour market could add trillions of dollars to global GDP annually. For a country like Sri Lanka, where economic revitalization is urgent, empowering women is central to unlocking hidden productivity.

Several international frameworks provide a global blueprint for advancing gender equality. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, 1979), ratified by 189 countries including Sri Lanka, legally obliges states to eliminate discrimination against women in political, social, and economic spheres. The Beijing Platform for Action (1995) further reinforced this agenda by framing women’s rights as human rights and identifying twelve critical areas for action, ranging from health and education to violence prevention and economic participation. Additionally, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) emphasizes the essential role of women in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and security. This framework is particularly relevant for post-conflict nations like Sri Lanka, guiding efforts in reconciliation and community rebuilding. These global commitments influence national policies, development assistance, and governance reforms, ensuring that gender equality remains a central component of economic and political development.

Sri Lanka’s 2024 Census shows that women make up 51.7% of the population, forming a clear majority across urban, rural, and estate sectors. This demographic reality underscores the need for gender-responsive development policies, especially as the national sex ratio remains low at 93.3 males per 100 females due to factors such as male out-migration, higher male mortality, and longer female life expectancy. Sri Lanka has also recorded notable gains in human development: female literacy exceeds 92%, girls’ school enrolment matches or surpasses that of boys, and maternal health outcomes continue to strengthen. These advancements place the country ahead of many developing nations in key social indicators.

In the 2026 budget, the Government has allocated Rs. 16.4 billion to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, representing only 0.37% of the total ministries’ expenditure, which is less than 1% of the overall budget. This allocation is insufficient to address the wide range of challenges faced by women and children in Sri Lanka, including gender-based violence, limited access to quality education and healthcare, economic empowerment opportunities, and social protection measures. With women playing a central role in the country’s economic growth, social stability, and community development, a higher and more strategic investment is essential to ensure meaningful programs, equitable access to resources, and long-term gender-inclusive development. The government must introduce new programs and initiatives to improve employment opportunities for women, including full-time and part-time positions. Currently, about one-third of women are unemployed—a significant issue for the economy. By leveraging this valuable human resource, the government can accelerate economic growth, reduce potential socio-economic burdens, and decrease future social welfare expenditures.

Yet significant gender disparities persist in economic participation, leadership, safety, and post-conflict recovery. Female labour-force participation remains just 32%, constrained by limited childcare, transport and safety concerns, societal expectations regarding domestic roles, and restricted access to high-growth sectors such as technology and engineering. Women hold only 9.7% of parliamentary seats, reflecting low representation across political, administrative, and corporate leadership. Gender-based violence, ranging from domestic abuse to workplace harassment, remains widespread and is compounded by underreporting and weak institutional support. In the Northern and Eastern Provinces, war widows and female-headed households continue to face acute challenges in securing livelihoods, accessing land, and rebuilding their lives. These realities underscore the urgent need for comprehensive, cross-sector reforms that place women at the centre of Sri Lanka’s national development agenda.

Key global policy areas relevant to gender equality offer important lessons for Sri Lanka. The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda highlights that peace agreements are more durable and communities recover faster when women participate in negotiations and reconciliation processes—making women’s leadership essential to Sri Lanka’s post-conflict recovery and local governance. Globally, women remain underrepresented in decision-making roles due to gender stereotypes, unequal education opportunities, poor health access, poverty, and unpaid care responsibilities; Sri Lanka, therefore, requires reforms such as gender quotas, leadership training, and improved campaign financing to strengthen female political participation. Economic empowerment remains a critical driver of growth, and Sri Lanka must expand digital skills training, safe public transport, access to finance, gender-responsive workplace policies, and entrepreneurship support, particularly for rural and estate-sector women. While basic education access is strong, greater attention is needed to increase girls’ participation in STEM fields, address early marriage in certain communities, and ensure equitable pathways to higher education for rural and estate girls. In health, Sri Lanka performs well in maternal care compared to global standards, yet gaps remain in nutrition, rural healthcare services, and reproductive health education. Gender-based violence continues to impose economic and social costs, underscoring the urgency of strengthening legal protections, police training, shelters, and judicial responses. Additionally, women in humanitarian and conflict-affected settings face heightened risks of violence, displacement, and economic vulnerability, making targeted protections and efforts to prevent child marriage critical components of a comprehensive gender policy framework.

Strengthening women’s empowerment in Sri Lanka requires a combination of integrated and targeted policy approaches. While gender mainstreaming ensures that women’s issues are incorporated into all national development priorities, evidence shows that it is most effective when paired with focused interventions that address specific gender gaps. Robust oversight, transparency, and continuous monitoring are also essential to ensure policies translate into real improvements on the ground. In addition, better coordination among ministries, development partners, and civil society—along with systematic tracking of gender-related expenditures—is necessary to maximize impact and avoid duplication.

Women make substantial contributions to Sri Lanka’s economy, yet their labour-force participation remains only 31.6% in 2024, well below global benchmarks. Female-dominated sectors such as the apparel and garment industry generated USD 4.7 billion in export earnings in 2024, demonstrating women’s pivotal role in sustaining national employment and export competitiveness. Moreover, women constitute more than 70% of Sri Lankan migrant workers, particularly in the Middle East, sending home stable remittances that form a crucial source of foreign exchange. Despite this economic significance, structural barriers—including childcare responsibilities, safety concerns, and limited access to high-value sectors—continue to hinder women’s full participation. Dependence on garments and domestic labour abroad exposes women to global economic shocks, while returning migrant workers often face reintegration challenges. At the same time, women’s political representation remains below 10%, constraining gender-sensitive policymaking and the expansion of social protection measures.

International experience provides valuable guidance for Sri Lanka. Countries such as Bangladesh, Rwanda, and Vietnam have demonstrated that targeted interventions can rapidly improve women’s economic and political participation. Bangladesh’s female-friendly garment sector, Rwanda’s political quotas, and Vietnam’s industrial upskilling initiatives show that investments in childcare support, safe transportation, legal protections, and digital and technical skills training significantly enhance women’s participation and resilience. Sri Lanka can adopt similar strategies by expanding workplace childcare facilities, creating flexible part-time and re-entry pathways, upskilling women for higher-value roles, strengthening protections for migrant women, implementing gender quotas, monitoring gender budgeting, and improving access to finance for women-led businesses. Raising female labour-force participation from 31.6% to 40% within five years and increasing women’s presence in skilled export sectors would not only accelerate economic growth but also enhance national resilience and social well-being.

Conclusion

Women’s empowerment is not charity or symbolism—it is a strategic economic investment. Equal access to education, finance, leadership, and employment allows economies to grow faster, reduces poverty, and enhances social stability. Excluding women costs nations talent, productivity, and resilience.

Sri Lanka stands at a pivotal moment. As the country restructures its economy and seeks sustainable growth, integrating gender equality into all policies—from digital transformation and trade to rural development and governance—will determine the nation’s success. Achieving gender equality is both a moral imperative and a smart economic decision. Empowering women is essential for building a more prosperous, inclusive, and stable Sri Lanka.

*Visvalingam Muralithas is a researcher in the legislative sector, specializing in policy analysis and economic research. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Economics at the University of Colombo, with a research focus on governance, development, and sustainable growth.