AmCham holds discussion to spark private sector led action on retention of women in the workforce

Tuesday, 14 March 2023 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

AMCHAM convened a roundtable discussion with the participation of over 60 C-suite representatives to discuss, dissect and design solutions to the age-old problem of attrition of women

In honour of International Women’s Month

The American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (AmCham Sri Lanka) on 1 March, convened a roundtable discussion with the participation of over 60 C-suite representatives of the private sector across over 20 industries, to discuss, dissect and design solutions to the age-old problem of attrition of women.

Setting the context, AmCham SL Head of Chamber Vrai Raymond said, “As many of us know first-hand, many women opt to leave the workforce after marriage or after the birth of a child, or when the burden of childcare, elder care, or a combination of these things makes a work-life balance under existing norms impossible. This leads to a significant decrease in female participation in the labour force and the loss of a valuable resource. Women’s participation in the workforce is vital both for individual and for economic development, and in recognising the importance for society to promote and support this we take a very important step toward achieving empowerment and embracing equity.”

Chief Guest at the occasion was Ambassador of the United States of America in Sri Lanka Julie J. Chung, who in her keynote address drew attention to the fact that “it is estimated that Sri Lanka could add $ 20 billion to its annual GDP by 2025 if women actively participate in the workforce.”

A White Paper outlining the recommendations of the private sector for a national-level action plan will be presented to the Government of Sri Lanka, while best practices and innovative solutions adopted by the private sector organisations represented will be used to design capacity-building learnings across the AmCham membership. The forum was conducted in collaboration with Great Place To Work – Sri Lanka, Verité Research and hosted by the Hilton Colombo.