Women entrepreneurs lag behind in Lanka
Sri Lankan women enjoy equal rights, privileges and opportunities to
a large extent in every sphere in society. This is a remarkable
achievement for a small island nation such as ours in the South Asian
region, said Chairperson, Philip Hospitals, Kalutara, Ms Indrani
Fernando at the eighth China-South Asia Business Forum in China,
recently.
She said that the salutary development was mainly due to the
achievement of a high literacy rate and evolving liberal and democratic
traditions of our country. Sri Lanka prides herself as a country which
elected the first woman Prime Minister in the world, as far back as
1960.
Universal suffrage which enabled women to elect their representatives
was introduced and operative in Sri Lanka since 1931, when women in some
of the developed countries did not enjoy that privilege.
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Chairperson, Philip
Hospitals, Kalutara, Ms Indrani Fernando addresses the
audience. |
Women constitute 52 percent of the Sri Lankan population and their
contribution to socio-economic development is invaluable, she said.
The largest source of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka is the
remittances received from Sri Lankan expatriate workers. The largest
proportion of the expatriate workers constitute women employed in the
West Asia region. The second largest foreign exchange earning source is
the export of apparel products.
The apparel industry constitutes 60 percent women workers. The third
largest export earner is tea. The largest section of the tea industry is
dependent on women employees. The paddy cultivation sector employs a
substantial percentage of women farmers.
If Sri Lankan housewives are price marked their value addition to the
national economy will be of a sizable value, Ms Fernando said.
Consequent to the free education, free health and strong social safety
net provided by government funds, many opportunities have been created
for Sri Lankan women to pursue higher education and achieve professional
and academic excellence.
In recent times many government institutions, private sector
establishments, financial and telecommunication sectors and even the
security forces have employed a large number of women who are rapidly
moving up to the highest position in their careers.
Despite this noteworthy and salutary development, one cannot make the
same observation with regard to the participation of women in the field
of entrepreneurship and politics.
There is a serious lacuna in the active participation of Sri Lankan
women as entrepreneurs and politicians. It is estimated that only six
percent of the representatives in Parliament consist of women.
I believe that low participation of women in business enterprises and
in politics is mainly due to the deep-rooted belief in society,
particularly among women, that these two fields are tough, stressful and
strenuous and cannot be overcome by a woman.
This misconception deeply entrenched in the minds of even educated,
competent, young and able women in the country does not augur well for
the development of women, she said.
- SJ
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