Policy dialogue on Unpaid Care Work in Sri Lanka

A policy dialogue titled, “Recognizing, Reducing, and Redistributing Unpaid Care Work in Sri Lanka” organized by the Women and Media Collective was held on  March 31st, 2023 at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo from 9 am to 1.00 pm. The policy dialogue is an outcome of a research study conducted by the Women and Media Collective together with the Social Scientists’ Association on Unpaid Care Work in six districts in Sri Lanka during the period 2018 and 2020. The main objectives of this research were twofold: to assess, through a Time Use Survey, the time that is dedicated to activities that are carried out for the well-being of household members and to attempt to input an economic value to the time that is expended on these household care activities. The key findings of the research were presented to an audience of policy makers, government officials, Ministers and Researchers by Dr. Sepali Kottegoda of the WMC, Dr. Pradeep Peiris of the Social Scientists’ Association and Prof. Dileni Gunewardena of the University of Peradeniya. It was highlighted that as the way forward and also to promote the uptake of research findings into policy, it is essential to recognize, reduce and redistribute Unpaid Care Work.