Abstract:
In Sri Lanka, despite education gender parity favouring females and positive outcomes in female educa two
thirds of the working age women opt out of the labour force to stay at home. The largest share op
at home without participating in the labour force are those who dropped at the upper secondary level o This study
sought to explore the factors whic are likely to affect labour force participation of women an that of upper
secondary school dropout women. We carried out a quantitative data analysis using generated by the Department
of Census & Statistics’ Labour Force Survey 2014 and Household Expenditure Survey 2012/13 and an analysis
of qualitative data collected from labour market experts. In with the reviewed literature, the quantitative data
suggests, education, marital and maternal status, e main supply side factors, and on the demand side the labour
market factors affect the women’s l participation choice. The data nonetheless revealed that where employability
is high the role of marital a status play only a minor role. The qualitative data suggests that the reservation wages
of women secondary education are likely to be high compared to that of the lower educated, but the absence of
s skills required to access jobs meeting their reservation wage levels and absence of adequate employme are
likely to be important factors discouraging labour force participation.
