A cohort analysis of gender wage differentials in Sri Lanka: 1996-2004

Abstract

Changing patterns over time in female school enrolments and labour force participation can be expected to have an impact on the gender wage gap. This study uses cohort analysis and data from the Department of Census and Statistics' Quarterly Labour Force Surveys from 1996 to 2004 to examine gender wage differentials in three age cohorts corresponding to different periods of labour force attachment. Results indicate that despite larger wage gaps, gender discrimination in the private sector, for full-time workers, has declined marginally over time, whereas young female public sector full- time workers face more discrimination than middle and old cohort workers.