Shifts in the livelihood structure of Sri Lanka following economic liberalisation

Abstract

This report examines shifts in the livelihood structure of Sri Lanka after two decades economic liberalisation. Based mainly on analyses of secondary sources, this report complements field study household surveys undertaken in Sri Lanka that investigated young people’s aspirations with regard to education, qualifications and livelihoods. The report examines the following topics: shift of employees from the state sector to the private sector relative wage rates in the public and the private sectors livelihood opportunities in the rural agricultural sector employment opportunities in the manufacturing and service sectors composition in value added in industrial production and other sectors patterns of employment and unemployment patterns of unemployment and under-employment child and old age dependency foreign employment opportunities composition and dynamics of unskilled and semi-skilled labour markets equality of access to employment opportunities in the private sector