The 29th Foreign Correspondent Report

A Roof Over Their Head: The Accommodation Needs of Women Workers inFree Trade Zones (FTZs) in Sri Lanka
Ms. Dishani SENARATNE (Sri Lanka)

Initially known as an Export Processing Zone (EPZ), Sri Lanka’s first-ever Free Trade Zone (FTZ)
was founded in Katunayake in 1978, following the introduction of an open economy policy thatdeviated from the country’s agro-based economy. The then-J. R. Jayewardene administration
offered numerous concessions and incentives for foreign investors which subsequently led to theestablishment of FTZs in other areas like Biyagama, Koggala, Mirigama, Malwatte andWathupitiwala. Since its inception, an overwhelming majority of the enterprises that operate in
the FTZs are apparel exporters whilst there is evidence of a rising trend in diversification into othersectors such as glove and jewellery production.
The FTZ workforce is predominantly made up of women who have migrated to large cities for
employment. Most possess minimum educational/professional qualifications and are interested inaccomplishing short-term personal goals such as saving money for a dowry, building a house andrendering financial assistance to siblings and other family members. The end of the civil war
between the government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009 resulted
in the exponential growth of Northern and Eastern Tamil women joining the FTZ labour force. A
great number of companies provide not only meals but also shuttle transportation facilities toemployees at concessionary rates. Nevertheless, the cramped hostels which have mushroomed in
the surrounding areas speak volumes about the deplorable living conditions of the FTZ workforce.
Access to decent and affordable accommodation isacknowledged a basic human right. The
accommodation needs of female FTZ workers,
however, are largely ignored both by companies andthe Board of Investment (BOI), the apex government
body that oversees the FTZs. Arguably, women are
more vulnerable to sexual harassment and assault at
privately-owned makeshift boarding houses which
offer limited privacy. On the other hand, there havebeen cases of women falling sick owing to poor
sanitation facilities in these so-called hostels which
are run by a “boarding aunty” (a female overseer whois employed by a landlord). In order to reduce their
A boarding house located in Katunayake
monthly electricity bill, some opt to cook on
kerosene stoves, posing a risk to health. Sadly, female workers continue to live in small spaces dueto their inability to pay exorbitant monthly rents. In other words, their resilience at work is fannedby the commonly-held belief that they would return to their native places once their goals havebeen attained.
Ironically, the female FTZ labour force is often labelled as juki keli (a derogatory name for garmentworkers) in spite of their massive contribution to the economy. In 2003, six songs that celebrated

The 29th Foreign Correspondent Report

female garment-factory workers were released
for public consumption by the Joint Apparel
Association Forum (JAAF) with a view toempower the unsung heroes of the FTZ
workforce. The social stigma against the female
workers partly stems from unsatisfactory
working conditions at the garment factories. Thevast majority of employers reportedly pressurize
employees to achieve unrealistic “targets”(weekly production output), capitalizing on therelatively submissive women workers.
The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has a
A janitor of a garment factory in her room
bigger role to play in creating a better workplace
experience for women at every level. Unarguably, providing affordable and quality
accommodation options will be a step towards improving employee satisfaction. Overlooking therights of low-qualified FTZ female workers exacerbates the glass ceiling issue which has yet to beaddressed both locally and internationally.
One month into office, Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has repeatedly pledged to ensure
economic growth and safeguard national security. Against this backdrop, the government is likely
to focus on wider economic and social issues in lieu of giving prominence to issues relating toworking women. Setting up garment factories in rural areas of the country alone cannot attract andretain women in the workforce. Unless policy makers identify the factors affecting female labourforce participation, Sri Lanka’s aim of becoming a hub of ethical fashion will possibly remain apipedream.