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Is Gender Inequality an Issue in Sri Lanka?

What is the definition of gender equality? Gender equality is defined by the United Nations as women and men having equal access to socially valuable goods, opportunities, resources, and rewards. Gender equality is viewed as a fundamental human right. It does not imply that women and men are the same, as the most prevalent misunderstanding of gender equality suggests. Gender equality is vital to a country's growth because it ensures long-term success. Women must be empowered at all levels in order to achieve gender equality. Some people in Sri Lanka do not consider gender inequality to be a problem. Some even believe that gender equality is an idea that western countries are instilling into society. In this essay, we will look at three different elements of women in Sri Lanka: employment, education, and political representation.

Women in Employment
Image Credit: Insight Guides
Women are prominent in several critical sectors of the country's economy, including the tea and textile industries, as well as migrant laborers. Women, on the other hand, are employed at the lowest levels in all of these fields. Women are mostly hired as housemaids in foreign nations, for example, in the migrant worker industry. The Sri Lankan culture has a considerable influence on women's career choices. Most girls are traditionally encouraged from a young age to choose careers such as teaching, which provide a good work-life balance. Girls are also encouraged to pursue careers that do not need them to travel, such as banking and nursing. Most girls are uninterested in entering the corporate world or pursuing careers that are typically considered "male occupations," such as piloting. 

Women in Education
Sri Lankan children up to the age of 14 are required by law to attend school. As a result, there is no gender discrimination in school enrolment. Sri Lanka is one of the few countries in the world that offers free education to children until they reach university age. Female children were not sent to school until the introduction of the free education system in 1947, for cultural and economic reasons; as a result, women were the group that benefited the most from the system's inception. According to statistics, Sri Lankans have a very high literacy rate (91%) regardless of gender, and more females (58%) are eligible to attend university than males (57%) in 2010. 

Women in Politics
Despite the fact that women have a high literacy rate and both genders have political access, female representation in parliament in Sri Lanka is still less than 10%. Looking back at the country's history, it's clear that the women who rose to power hailed from political families, meaning that either their father or spouse was a former prime minister who was slain. Popular personalities and celebrities are among the other female politicians. The lack of financial support, difficulties securing nomination from the major political parties, and the deteriorating status of ethical conduct in politics are all listed as causes for the low representation. Before encouraging educated, professional women to enter politics, the country has a long way to go.

Given the three variables stated above, it is reasonable to conclude that gender disparity exists in Sri Lanka to some level, particularly in terms of political representation; nonetheless, policymakers and society as a whole have not highlighted gender inequality as a serious issue. Sri Lanka will be able to achieve its vision of becoming the "Wonder of Asia" by taking the necessary steps to promote gender equality, such as eliminating power imbalances, empowering women to climb the corporate ladder, and redefining the man's role in the family to share household responsibilities in line with the woman's role, which has evolved over time to become an economic contributor. 

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