The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women workers in the Free Trade Zones and Garment factories in Sri Lanka
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women workers in the Free Trade Zones and Garment factories in Sri Lanka
December 3, 2021
Women workers within Sri Lanka's Free Trade Zones (FTZs) were severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through the loss of livelihoods, job insecurity, renewed stigma and discrimination, and increased labour exploitation. The pandemic also exposed systematic vulnerabilities of women workers in the country's FTZs and the need for the garment industry to address the poor working conditions and inadequate social welfare protection to safeguard the human rights of all employees.