ECONOMY-SRI LANKA: Conditions Worsen For Women Workers

by Barbara McPherson | March 25, 2009 at 09:35 am

85 views | 2 Recommendations | 0 comments

Women garment workers in Sri Lanka are paying a heavy price for the global recession. The biggest foreign exchange earner in this country is export of garments to the US and Europe. With the financial difficulties in these sectors, orders for garments have slowed. Since June of 2008, 40 000 garment workers have lost their jobs. The majority of laid off workers are women.
Many of the garment workers are from remote villages where there is no opportunity for women to earn money. The amount they do earn per month is small -- about $100 with about one third going to rent, another third to their home village.

With global finances uncertain and the removal of duty free concessions on Sri Lankan garments, these women face an uncertain future.

Reduced export orders or tussles between unions and factory officials are remote problems for workers like Ramani who are forced to live in small, dingy rooms shared with a co-worker. Trying to make ends meet on Rs 10,000 (100 US dollars) a month is struggle enough.

A third of her pay goes towards boarding charges while another third is sent home. She makes do with the rest for food and personal expenses.

Ramani uses a gas stove (the room also doubles up as a kitchen) and has a television, fan and a mobile phone as luxuries.

The broken-down toilets, set far away in an overgrown compound, are comfortless and some do not even have doors.