• 1,360 female suspects & convicts housed islandwide; cites proximity issues for pvt. sector reluctance  

Clarifying the notion that private firms are not willing to offer employment opportunities to female inmates (both suspects and convicts) – in particular to those who are in rehabilitation, the Prisons Department explained that the situation stems from the low female inmates’ population, which makes it difficult for firms to devise programmes targeting them.

Prisons Commissioner (Operations, Intelligence and Security) and the Prisons Department’s Media Spokesperson Gamini B. Dissanayake, speaking to The Daily Morning said: “The total number of female inmates in prisons is around 1,300 and the number of female convicts is a small number. Since this is not a considerable number of female inmates, private firms are hesitant. We conduct programmes under partnerships with the private sector for some male inmates. However, so far, no company has come forward to offer jobs for female inmates.” 

He further explained that in a context where even the available number of female inmates are housed in different prisons, only a meagre number of female prisoners are housed in one place, which further complicates the said issue. Most are housed in the Welikada Prison, according to him. 

“We have published notices that we have labour, and that we are willing to enter into partnerships with public or private parties which include a salary for the inmates. Several programmes are in progress for the male inmates. However, thus far, we have not received proposals for female inmates,” Dissanayake added.

As of Tuesday (9), there were 1,360 female inmates in Sri Lanka’s prisons, of which 705 are suspects.