Male domination in Lankan labour force, says UN

-By Development Network-
-(Source: Dailymirror-Sri Lanka)-
The United Nations (UN) in its International Women's Day message said yesterday
that although Sri Lanka had achieved significant progress towards equal rights
for women, the gap between the sexes in the country's labour force was the 20th
largest in the world.

It said the positive gender indicators in health and education had not always
translated into equal opportunities for women
The UN said: "Sri Lanka has achieved significant progress towards equality for
women with positive gender indicators in health and education; however, these
have not always translated into equal opportunities for women. The recent
progress report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Sri Lanka
highlights a range of inequities between men and women; one of the most
apparent being the labour force participation rate where Sri Lanka records the
twentieth largest gap in labour force participation between the sexes. The
participation of women in parliament continues to be low with only 5.7% of
parliamentarians being women.
"The 100th commemoration of International Women's Day stresses the importance
of equal access to education, training and science and technology to drive
economic growth, empower women and ensure the well being of their families,
their communities and nations. The UN calls on all nations to strive to ensure
the full and equal participation of women in all areas of public and private
life.
This year's theme -- equal access to education, training and science and
technology: pathway to decent work for women, is more important now than ever
before because wide differences within and across countries continue to persist
despite a closing gender gap in education. Women and girls continue to endure
unacceptable discrimination and violence often at the hands of intimate
partners or relatives. In the realm of decision-making, fewer than 10 per cent
of countries have female heads of state or government, and even where women are
prominent in politics, they are often under-represented in other areas of
decision-making, including at the highest level of business and industry.
The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his message said the use of
tools such as Internet and cell phone backed by education and training, could
help women to break the cycle of poverty, combat injustice and exercise their
rights.

"Only through women's full and equal participation in all areas of public and
private life can we hope to achieve the sustainable, peaceful and just society
promised in the United Nations Charter," Mr. Ban said.

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