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Short Summary
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In Sri Lanka, numbers of women engaged in home-based work are increasing. Despite this, their work is often invisible to policy-makers and governments, and its economic value is rarely acknowledged. Moreover, the informal nature of home-based work means that workers are not entitled to social security benefits or legal protection, yet due to their isolation collective action by home-based workers is rare. This study presents an analysis of home-based workers in the southern province of Sri Lanka. Findings revealed that 17 percent of the home-based workers surveyed said they valued the opportunity to perform household duties and be engaged in income-generation activities simultaneously. 11 percent of the respondents valued the independence that home-based work offered them. In contrast, 33 percent of the women were working within the home because they were not given permission form their elders or husbands to go out and work. For these women, home work offers the only opportunity to contribute to household income - which they regard as crucial for maintaining their status in the household and building their self-esteem.
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