The Department of Population and Statistics has released the “2024 Labour Force Survey Report,” revealing a concerning trend: more than 6.5 million women of working age in Sri Lanka are economically inactive, contributing minimally to the national economy.
According to the report, 71.1 percent of this group are not actively seeking employment and have no expectation of finding work.
The report also highlights that over 2.6 million working-age men in Sri Lanka fall into the economically inactive category.
Overall, the total number of economically inactive individuals in Sri Lanka stood at 9.23 million last year. These individuals are not engaged in any form of employment and are not considered part of the labor force.
In comparison, the economically inactive population in 2023 was recorded at 8.89 million. This indicates an increase of 334,001 individuals in 2024. Of this increase, 185,398 were women, bringing the total number of economically inactive women from 6.37 million in 2023 to 6.56 million last year. Similarly, the number of economically inactive men rose from 2.52 million in 2023 to 2.67 million, marking an increase of 148,602.
The findings underscore a significant gender disparity in labor force participation and raise critical questions about the barriers to employment faced by a large portion of the country’s working-age population.
