News
Rising migration of Lankan women reshapes caregiving and employment dynamics
By Rathindra Kuruwita
There has been a two-percent increase in the number Sri Lankan women seeking foreign employment, compared to 2023, according to Dr. Bilesha Weeraratne, Head of Migration and Urbanisation Policy Research at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). The number rose to 46% in 2023 from about 40% in the pre-pandemic period. Dr. Weeraratne shared these insights on Thursday (15) during a policy dialogue, titled “Shaping the Future: Population Dynamics in Sri Lanka,” organized by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Sri Lanka.
Dr. Weeraratne said the Sri Lankan government has been actively promoting foreign employment since 2022, as a response to the economic crisis. In 2022, over 300,000 people left the country for work abroad, with a similar figure of approximately 297,000 in 2023.
“Most of the women leaving the country are under 45 years old, which is one of the contributing factors to the decline in fertility rates,” Dr. Weeraratne noted.
The large-scale migration of young women has also necessitated a restructuring of caregiving responsibilities within the country. “Now, older women are often tasked with caring for young children, which can be challenging. Childcare is demanding even for mothers, and the expectation that older aunts and grandmothers will take over can lead to compromises in the education and nutrition of children. However, remittances from abroad can also provide families with better access to food and education,” she explained.
Dr. Weeraratne further emphasized that migration serves as an entry point to employment for many women, particularly given Sri Lanka’s low female labour force participation.
“One solution to this issue is to establish quality daycare facilities for both children and the elderly. In Sri Lanka, placing the elderly in homes is not common practice, and women often bear the primary responsibility for their care. If adult daycare centres were available, more women would be able to enter the workforce,” she suggested.
Additionally, she pointed out that many women migrate to escape domestic violence, challenging the assumption that children left behind by migrant mothers are more vulnerable to violence at home.
Dr. Weeraratne also addressed the issue of high youth unemployment in Sri Lanka, attributing it largely to a mismatch between skills and job market demands. “Many young people aspire to work abroad. By providing them with the necessary training for jobs in the healthcare and hospitality sectors, we can prepare them for employment overseas. Those who migrate will send back remittances, while those who remain will possess skills that are attractive to investors,” she concluded.
Representatives from the ’The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’ met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Wednesday [24th of June] at the Parliament premises.
During the meeting, discussions focused on the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026 (SLEIS 2026), which is scheduled to be held on 12 and 13 October 2026. Attention was also given to digitalization initiatives, the introduction of digital technologies in schools under new education reforms, and the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sri Lanka’s education sector.
Representatives of the Chamber noted that the summit would serve as an important platform for encouraging both local and foreign investment, while also contributing to the shaping of the country’s future economic policies.
The meeting was attended by Krishan Balendra, Chairman of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce; Vinod Hirdaramani, Deputy Vice Chairman; Shiran Fernando, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer; Aliki Perera, Deputy Secretary General and Chief Operating Officer; and Anagi Rodrigo-Weerasekera, Chief Economist and Head of Economic Intelligence, along with several other representatives.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
A discussion to review the progress of the housing project under which 4,700 houses are being constructed for the Malayagam community with Indian assistance was held this afternoon (24) at the Presidential Secretariat under the chairmanship of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabath Chandrakeerthi.
Under this housing programme, 2,026 houses are to be provided to families identified by the National Building Research Institute (NBRI) as being at disaster risk. The remaining houses are expected to be allocated to eligible workers residing in the plantation sector.
Accordingly, the houses will be provided to Malayagam community families living on estates belonging to 22 Regional Plantation Companies, as well as estates under the State Plantations Corporation, Janawasama and Elkaduwa Plantations.
For the construction of each house, the Government of India has allocated Rs. 2.8 million, while the Government of Sri Lanka has contributed Rs. 400,000.
During the discussion, Chandrakeerthi instructed officials to ensure that the housing project is completed before the end of this year. He further directed that land identified for the construction of houses be released without delay and that the National Building Research Institute provide the necessary reports to identify suitable land for the project.
The housing project is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation and the Plantation Human Development Trust.
Among those present were Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, K. S. Wijayakeerthi; Director General (Engineering), N. D. N. Pushpakumara; Director General (Planning), W. A. K. S. Damayanthi; the Secretary General of the Planters’ Association; and officials from the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation, relevant institutions and plantation companies.
(PMD)
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