What is it about?
Many South Asian countries have invested heavily in women’s education, yet female labour force participation remains low. Using Sri Lankan Labour Force Survey data from 2017–2024, this study examines whether the relationship between education and women’s labour force participation follows the traditional U-shaped pattern. The findings show a J-shaped relationship, with participation increasing sharply only among women with Advanced Level and tertiary education, suggesting that education alone is insufficient unless labour market opportunities expand for moderately educated women.
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Why is it important?
Women are achieving higher levels of education than ever before, but many still do not enter the workforce. Our study shows that the relationship between education and employment in Sri Lanka is different from what conventional theories predict. This matters because policies based on universal assumptions may fail to address the barriers preventing many educated women from participating in paid work.
Perspectives
Our findings suggest that the relationship between women's education and employment is not the same across developing countries. Rather than assuming one pattern fits all, researchers and policymakers should consider the social, economic, and institutional factors that shape women's opportunities to participate in paid work.
B. Anne Kanchana M. Mendis
University of Waikato
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Rethinking the U-Shaped hypothesis: evidence of a convex education–participation relationship in Sri Lanka, International Journal of Development Issues, July 2026, Emerald,
DOI: 10.1108/ijdi-02-2026-0073.
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