No-pay leave for female public officers to have a baby

One-year no pay leave will be granted to female public officers to obtain fertility treatment to have a baby, according to a decision taken by the Cabinet recently.

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs has, in a circular informed all state institutions that the rules have been revised to include this benefit for women employees in the public sector.

No-pay leave up to one year would be granted for female public officers to spend in or out of the island to obtain treatments for sub fertility on the recommendations of a Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist. These provisions are effective from November 21, 2018.

Fertility transition in Sri Lanka began in the mid1960s and the declining trend continued over the decades. The Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) showed the total fertility rate (TFR) reaching 2.3 births per woman, a level below replacement fertility.

The analysis of factors affecting the likelihood of having a larger family (more than 2 children) revealed that lower educated women were more likely to have a higher number of children than their counterparts with a higher level of education.