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Changing gender roles and health impacts among female workers in export-processing industries in Sri Lanka

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  • Attanapola, Chamila T.

Abstract

Since the economic liberalization in 1977, a large number of Sri Lankan women have entered the labour market and engaged in income-generating activities. Some women choose to travel abroad as domestic workers, while others choose to work in export-processing industries. This process has a profound impact on gender and gender roles in Sri Lanka. Young rural women have changed their traditional women's roles to become independent daughters, efficient factory workers and partially modernized women. Even though changing gender roles are identified as a positive impact of industrial work, the new social, cultural, and legal environments of industrial work have negative impacts on these women's lives. This paper explores health impacts of changing gender roles and practices of young rural women, focusing on the experiences of female workers in export-processing industries. Further, it contributes to the literature on gender and health, and on qualitative approaches within health geographic studies. A model is formulated to suggest a conceptual framework for studying women's health. The model describes the determinant factors of individual health status based on the question of who (personal attributes) does what (type of work) where (place), when and how (behaviours). These are also determinant factors of gender and gender roles of a society. The three types of health problems (reproductive, productive and mental health) of a woman, in this case a female industrial worker, are determined by her gender roles and practices associated with these roles.

Suggested Citation

  • Attanapola, Chamila T., 2004. "Changing gender roles and health impacts among female workers in export-processing industries in Sri Lanka," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(11), pages 2301-2312, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:58:y:2004:i:11:p:2301-2312
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    Cited by:

    1. Jenny Moreno & Duncan Shaw, 2018. "Women’s empowerment following disaster: a longitudinal study of social change," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 92(1), pages 205-224, May.
    2. K. G. Priyashantha & A. Chamaru De Alwis & I. Welmilla, 2023. "Three Perspectives on Changing Gender Stereotypes," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 12(2), pages 120-131, June.
    3. Gulsum Bastug & Taner Yilmaz & Erkan Bingol & Ilker Gunel, 2019. "Investigation of Appearance Anxiety and the Gender Role in Women's Sports Except for Social Gender Norms," Asian Journal of Education and Training, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 5(4), pages 526-530.
    4. Boudreau, Laura & Heath, Rachel & McCormick, Tyler H., 2024. "Migrants, experience, and working conditions in Bangladeshi garment factories," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 196-213.

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