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Advocata Institute identifies laws that discourage entry and retention of Lankan women in labour force
Advocata Institute says that Sri Lanka’s labour laws that discourage the entry and retention of women in the labour force are a factor preventing female participation in the workforce.
A report, titled ‘Gender Discriminatory Labour Laws in Sri Lanka and Female Labour Force Participation,’ recently launched by the Institute, says that the gender discriminatory labour laws, such as banning work at night, impacts female labour force participation.
The report identifies the lack of reference to part-time and flexible employment in the existing labour law, time restrictions on employing women at night, dearth of legal provisions for sexual harassment in employment and restrictions on overtime work for women, as legal obstacles that discourage women joining and actively participating in the workforce.
The report focused on four main areas of discrimination in the labour market: sexual harassment in the workplace, overtime work, work at night, and part-time work. The report highlighted that if these issues were addressed it is likely that female participation in the workforce would greatly improve which would benefit the economy and attract investment (particularly in the context of Sri Lanka’s tight labour market and the cost of labour).
In order to unblock the potential of the female labour force, the Advocata report proposes a series of reforms to existing legislation. These include amendments to the Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Act No. 19 of 1945, Wages Board Ordinance No. 27 of 1941, Gratuity Act No. 12 of 1983, Industrial Disputes Act No. 43 of 1950, Factories Ordinance No. 45 of 1942, Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act No. 47 of 1956.
The launch event of the report was followed by a panel discussion. The panellists for the discussion included Attorney-at-Law Ayomi Fernando, International Centre for Ethnic Studies Independent Consultant and Research Associate Dr. Ramani Gunatilaka, MAS Women’s Empowerment, Advocacy and Code of Conduct General Manager Thanuja Jayawardene, and Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus Representative MP Thalatha Atukorale. The discussion was moderated by Advocata Institute Research Executive (Policy) Sathya Karunarathne.
MP Thalatha Atukorale stressed the importance of this by highlighting that most of the existing legislation need amendments, while stressing, “We need to adopt new laws. With new sectors taking part in our economy, we have a need to amend the laws. The [Women’s] caucus has been working on political, social, environmental issues and doing our best effort to bring into the notice of the ministers.”
During the discussion, it was pointed out that firms in the private sector who wished to hire women often have to negotiate their way through complicated and archaic laws. Some firms may even forego this altogether and enter informal agreements which, however, do not provide sufficient protections for women.
Sri Lanka’s failure to recognise part-time employment under the Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Act remains such a barrier. According to Thanuja Jayawardene, “Making part-time work available for female employees is an important step in increasing labour force participation. From the business point of view, it is more beneficial to accommodate part-time work rather than lose employees, irrespective of their gender.”
Dr. Ramani Gunatilaka further stressed the importance of the reform, “If part-time work is allowed, young people and students can get experience, develop networks and even start their own businesses. Women can and want to do this. So, reforms are essential.” She stressed on the urgency of implementing these reforms and the impact it can have on the economy, “The working-age population is declining, and unless female labour force participation is boosted, the economy will not be able to grow at the expected rate.”
Ayomi Fernando shared similar insights while bringing into context the importance of recognising the elimination of restrictions on employing women at night. She said “Provisions preventing women working overtime are affecting the female labour. Women do need protection; however, these laws should be balanced to ensure women have equal opportunities.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
