Budget 2022 has neglected women – Eran

Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Eran Wickramaratne said that although 52 per cent of the population in our country are women, their labour force participation is a mere 35%. He said it is imperative that favourable conditions to increase their contribution needs to be created but Budget 2022 has not addressed the issue.

“Under an SJB Government we will provide maternity leave cost subsidies to the private sector to increase women’s labour force participation,” he said.

“Today, more than 50% of the graduates from our universities are women.At the same time, women are the ones who mostly get through competitive exams for higher posts in the civil service, administrative service and the teaching service”.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Opposition Leader’s office, Wickramaratne alleged that the Budget 2022 did not provide anything significant for women, reiterating concerns on how the Government had abolished the Cabinet level women’s ministry established for the first time by the UNP Government after 1977.

Even at a critical time such as now, with the drop in overall domestic production, disruption of agricultural production and lack of foreign investment due to the economic mismanagement of the Government, it is women who are engaged in sectors that bring in the most foreign exchange to the country.

He said that 80 per cent of the employees in the export-oriented garment industry are made up of women. Women also dominate the tea industry and the majority of our expatriate workers are women.

These industries and remittances are the largest foreign exchange contributors.

He further said that poor economic management of this Government has increased the burden of women as housewives as well. Inflation, which is calculated annually, needs to be computed monthly due to skyrocketing prices of vegetables and other essential goods. Wickramaratne also said that people have been waiting in long queues for gas, Kerosene, petrol, milk powder and other food items.

“There is a developing shortage of goods even if you have the money to purchase. But, the Government has been boasting since 2020 that the country is moving towards a “manufacturing economy,” MP Wickramaratne said.