Updates from Sri Lanka

On recent trip to Sri Lanka, CGSP Director Ito Peng joined Care Economies in Context Sri Lanka team at events and field visit focused on understanding and bolstering the island nation’s care economy

Roundtable Discussion on Care Economy in Sri Lanka

On May 26, Care Economies in Context Sri Lanka project partner Verité Research convened a stakeholder roundtable on Sri Lanka’s care economy, building on a consultation held a few months prior. The session brought together stakeholders working across childcare, eldercare, and disability care, and served as a space for knowledge-sharing and practical discussion on next steps.

At the event, CGSP Director Ito Peng presented research findings from the Care Economies in Context project. Verité Research presented a working paper compiled by Care Economies in Context Sri Lanka team lead Dileni Gunewardena, along with Ashvin Perera and Kanshika Weeravila, as well as an interactive literature dashboard on the care economy.

Read the working paper, Prioritizing the Care Economy for an Inclusive Sri Lanka
Access the interactive dashboard, Literature on the Care Economy

Unlocking Women’s Economic Potential in Sri Lanka: Barriers and Policy Pathways

In June, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) held an event in Colombo entitled “Unlocking Women’s Economic Potential in Sri Lanka: Barriers and Policy Pathways” as part of its Serendipity Knowledge Program. Ito delivered the keynote, and Dileni presented the ADB-commissioned report she recently authored entitled Exploring the Factors Behind Low Female Labor Force Participation in Sri Lanka.

Read the report, Exploring the Factors Behind Low Female Labor Force Participation in Sri Lanka

Watch the event recording

Media coverage

The ADB event received positive media coverage. Two articles in the Daily Mirror focused on the key findings and policy recommendations that Ito and Dileni shared in their talks:

Following the event, Dileni was also interviewed by Savithri Rodrigo for Kaleidoscope.