Sri Lanka - Demographic Transition : Facing the Challenges of an Aging Population with Few Resources

World Bank

Sri Lanka - Demographic Transition : Facing the Challenges of an Aging Population with Few Resources

2012

World Bank

As a result of low fertility rates and high life expectancy, the current demographic trends in Sri Lanka include a declining share of children and increasing share of elderly, and (for now) an increasing working age population. Sri Lanka has a unique window of opportunity to take advantage of the high share of working age population to stimulate economic growth, but the other two emerging population issues spur questions on their own. In this context, the report discusses some of the economic implications of demographic transition in Sri Lanka, focusing on employment and productivity related issues on one side; and performance of cash transfer programs aiming to assist the poor and vulnerable groups on the other. This report quantifies Sri Lanka's demographic change by providing updated population projections and by applying National Transfers Accounts methodology documenting how the demographic change and aging contribute to life-cycle deficit and to Sri Lanka's employment and labor market. The challenges and opportunities associated with the upcoming demographic transition are highlighted, focusing on the functioning of the labor markets and the social safety net system. The report discusses different avenues that the country can take to make its labor market more efficient and inclusive, and offset some of the disadvantages faced by the poor and vulnerable households. The analysis in this report suggests that timely policy actions can enable Sri Lanka to effectively cope with its changing demographic structure.

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AGROVOC Keywords

adult education age distribution age groups demographic transition dependency ratio developing countries discrimination displacement drugs economic growth economic implications elderly fertility formal education gender equity gross domestic product health care health insurance health services household consumption household income household surveys human capital human resources infant informal sector malaria migrants migration mortality nutrition nutritional status occupations old age participation of women pensions population change population growth private sector public education public health public services refugees remittances resource allocation retirement rural areas rural population sex sex ratio social security sterilization transportation unemployment urban areas vocational training vulnerability workforce working population youth employment

Bibliographic information

Publisher

Washington, DC

Other Subjects

First marriage; Labor force participation; Labor productivity; Demographic change; University education; Family structures; Number of children; Health centers; Job search; Number of women; Private sector workers; Social infrastructure; School age; Elderly population; Labor markets; Ministry of health; Service delivery; Disability; Marital fertility; Dependency ratios; Family ties; Social impact; Age category; Labor migrants; Fertility rate; Number of people; Nutritional status of women; Skilled occupations; Female labor; Cervical cancer; Population issues; Household characteristics; Training programs; Aged workers; Woman; Employment trends; Vulnerable groups; Reproductive behavior; Service utilization; Private sector employees; Replacement level; Labor force; Population planning; Gender balance; Breast cancer; Young children; Impact of conflict; Wage employment; Policy makers; Limited resources; Gender parity; School-age children; Household duties; Life expectancy; Investments in education; Infant mortality; Gender gap; Labor market regulations; Rural women; Population size; Public sector jobs; Contraceptive method; Demographic changes; Employment policy; Alleviation of poverty; High unemployment rates; Labor market; Dependency burden; Young men; Population growth trends; Safety net; Civil unrest; Household level; Job creation; Skilled labor; Public sector employees; Youth unemployment rates; Employment security; Reproductive age; Drivers; Legislators; Resource constraints; Married women; Low fertility; Demographic projections; Worker; Old-age; Fertility rates; Declines in mortality; Jobs; Impact of population; Individual members; Job security; Public service; Public health expenditure; Primary objective; Private costs; High unemployment; Human development; Young adults; Reproductive life; Poor health; Public policy; Future population; Program design; Food supplies; Household responsibilities; Female labor force; Health sector; Employment protection legislation; Opportunities for women; Safety nets; Household survey; Age group; Child-care; Tertiary education; Midwife; Impact of education; Fertility transition; Educational attainment; Secondary schooling; Skilled workers; Unemployment rate; Demographic trends; Security situation; Cardiovascular disease; Unemployment rates; Employment opportunities; Nutritional needs; Labor market outcomes; Servants; International migration; Infant mortality rates; Older workers; Ministry of education; Public support; Unemployed; Female employment; Young age; Earning; Child rearing; Working mothers; Respect; Tertiary level; Labor demand; Important policy; Dismissal; Informal sector workers; Labor regulations; First birth; Self-employment income; Young people; Private transfers; Civil war; Youth unemployment; Use of contraceptives; Income profile; Service sector; Population projections

License

http://hdl.handle.net/10986/12285http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/World BankCC BY 3.0 Unported

In AGRIS since: 2014-09-15

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http://hdl.handle.net/10986/12285

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