Gender differences in human capital development

from Sri Lanka Human Capital Development

B.1 Short- and medium-term initiatives to address policy objectives, by thematic area

• Central Province would have ranked 85th in the world, equal to countries such as Jamaica and Lebanon, both of which are wealthier than Central

Province. • uva Province would have ranked 82nd–84th in the world, on a par with economies such as the Philippines, Tuvalu, and West Bank and Gaza, all of which are poorer than uva Province.

overall, the provinces exhibit wide variation in their HCI scores and ranks. The range of countries with HCI values comparable to the various provinces is large and varied, covering countries in East Asia, Europe, Central and South America, and the Middle East and north Africa (table 1.2). The main drivers of the wide range of HCI values among the provinces appear to be variations in the two dimensions in which Sri Lanka performs less well—stunting and especially learning outcomes.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT

There are substantial gender differences in the HCI values of nearly all the provinces in favor of women. Among women, the HCI ranges from 67 percent in Southern Province and 65 percent in Western Province to 55 percent in Central and Eastern Provinces (map 1.2, panel b). By contrast, among men the HCI