Jaffna Open Forum: Labour Market Conundrum in Jaffna and the North

Friday, 03^rd JUNE 2011, 4:00 – 7:00 pm

Venue: Jaffna Public Library Auditorium, Esplanade, Jaffna 

In a post-war situation like that ofSri Lanka, generating gainful employment should be the top priority, especially in the war-affected regions. Hundreds of thousands of jobs and livelihoods were lost there due to mass displacement of populations, security restrictions, land mines infested agricultural lands, and closure of businesses and manufacturing activities. Although the unemployment rate in the country as a whole was just 4.9% in 2010, no one knows the unemployment rate in theNorthern Provinceor the Jaffna District because of lack of data.    

Evidences such as high number of households dependent on welfare handouts, high number of crimes, and strong desire to migrate abroad among youths and middle-aged persons in Jaffna indicate high levels of unemployment and underemployment in Jaffna in particular and the Northern province in general. A learned guess-estimate of unemployment rate in Jaffna could be in the range of 10% – 20%.  Although a lot of people highlight the high unemployment rate, the daily wage rate for unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled labour inJaffnais almost the same as inColombo. Besides, there is labour shortage during sowing and harvesting seasons. Further, unemployed youths (including graduates) could be seen loitering in villages and towns. Thus, the labour market inJaffnaappears to be a puzzle.   The second Jaffna Open Forum will explore the probable causes of more than double the national unemployment rate inJaffnaand debate potential solutions to rectify the situation. The following are some of the specific questions that are to be addressed:

• What are the causes of more than double the national unemployment rate inJaffna?
• What are the policies required to stimulate economic growth WITH new job creation?
• Is caste still a barrier to labour mobility?
• Is the Muslim minority community inJaffnaexperiencing difficulty in finding jobs?
• Are former combatants facing discrimination in the job market?
• Is foreign remittance from kith and kin inflating the market wage rate?

We invite you to discuss these and other questions you may have at the Open Forum, with youths (including from marginalised groups), academics, armed forces personnel, teachers, corporate sector, and concerned citizens of Jaffna.

Joachim Schluetter …… Resident Representative – FES Sri Lanka

Second Jaffna Open Forum :  Labour Market Conundrum in Jaffna and the North

Friday, 03^rd JUNE 2011, 4:00 – 7:00 pm

Venue: Jaffna Public Library Auditorium, Esplanade, Jaffna

4.00 – 4.10 p.m.  ………………Welcome and Introduction to the Open Forum, Facilitator, and the Panellists