Bankrupt Sri Lanka allows younger women to work abroad

Bankrupt Sri Lanka allows younger women to work abroad
June 21, 2022, 11:16 am

Busy street in Sri Lanka (File photo: Pixabay)

The Arabnews reported, citing the AFP, crisis-hit Sri Lanka on Tuesday (June 21) reduced to 21 the minimum age at which women can go abroad for work and earn much-needed dollars for the bankrupt economy.

Spokesman Bandula Gunawardana told reporters: “The cabinet of ministers approved the decision to lower the minimum age to 21 years for all countries given the need to increase foreign employment opportunities."

According to the report, remittances from Sri Lankans working abroad have long been a key source of foreign exchange for the country, bringing in around $7 billion per year.

This number dived during the coronavirus pandemic to $5.4 billion in 2021 and was forecast to drop under $3.5 billion this year because of the economic crisis.

Supporters of Sri Lanka's ruling party destroy tents belonging to anti-government demonstrators in front of the Prime Minister's official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, May 9, 2022. (Reuters)

More than 1.6 million people from the nation of 22 million work abroad, mainly in the Middle East.

The South Asian country’s foreign currency reserves are so low that the government has restricted imports even of essentials including food, fuel and medicine.

Sri Lankan government workers to work from home for two weeks

For months, Sri Lanka has lacked the foreign currency to buy all that it needs from abroad. Shortages of food and fuel have caused prices to soar. Inflation is now running at 30%, according to the BBC.

It said that there have been power cuts, and a lack of medicines has brought the health system to the verge of collapse.

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