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Monday, October 18, 2010 - 05.00 GMT |
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SL, substantial
progress on MDGs - UN |
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Sri Lanka shows substantial progress in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in reducing poverty from 26.1 per cent in 1990/91 to 15.2 per cent in 2006/07, the UN office in Colombo said in a press release issued to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
In Sri Lanka although unemployment levels halved during the past decade particularly among young people, their unemployment rate was eight times higher than that for adults in 200, the UN further said.
Sri Lanka records the twentieth largest gap in labour force participation between the sexes," the UN office in Colombo further said.
The UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon in his message on this day emphasized on youth employment stating youth are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults.
"One of the best ways for youth to see a future of hope is through the prism of a decent job, added the Secretary General.
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty which fell on October 17 stressed on the importance of decent and productive work as one of the most effective ways to fight poverty and build self-sufficiency. The United Nations called on all nations to strive in expanding job opportunities and safe working conditions for all.
This year's theme - 'From poverty to decent work: Bridging the gap', focuses on decent work, meaningful employment, income-generating livelihoods or in one word: jobs.
This is more important now than ever, when the global economic crisis has pushed an estimated 64 million people into poverty and unemployment is up more than 30 million since 2007. More than half of the worlds' working population continue to be in vulnerable employment, where they lack formal working arrangements and social security, and often earn little to provide for their families, the UN office in Colombo said.
Therefore, in bridging the gap from poverty to decent work, now is the time to review and invest in economic and social policies that foster job
creation; promoting decent labour conditions and deepening social protection systems, the UN Colombo office said.
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