Males account for 50.5% of the workforce in Sri Lanka’s Public and Semi-Government sectors, slightly outnumbering females, who make up 49.5%, according to the Preliminary Report of the 2024 Census of Public and Semi-Government Sector Employment released by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS). This is despite females comprising 51.61% of the national population, with males at 48.39%.
The census estimates that 1,156,018 individuals are employed across Public and Semi-Government institutions. Of this, the Central Government accounts for the majority, employing 59.5% of the total workforce.
Gender Disparities by Sector
The report highlights a nuanced gender distribution across sectors:
- Provincial Government Sector: Female representation is significantly higher. 310,573 female employees are engaged in this sector—more than double the number of male employees (152,707).
- Central Government and Semi-Government Sectors: Male employees dominate, with 148,439 malescompared to 64,747 females, reflecting a two-to-one ratio.
In terms of employment distribution:
- Central Government: 475,483 in the public sector and 213,186 in the semi-government sector.
- Provincial Government: 463,280 in the public sector and 4,069 in the semi-government sector.
Overall, nearly 80% of the workforce is employed in the public sector.
Job Security and Employment Status
Job security remains high within the public sector, where over 97% of employees hold permanent positions. In contrast, the semi-government sector has a lower proportion of permanent employees, indicating relatively less employment stability.
Historical Context and Delay
The 2024 Census is the ninth in a series of censuses dating back to 1980, when the first scientific effort was made to map the public and semi-government workforce. Subsequent censuses were conducted in 1985, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2016. Although the ninth census was initially scheduled for 2020, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s economic crisis.
The report provides crucial data for government planning and policy development, particularly in assessing gender dynamics and workforce composition across national and provincial administrations.
