Psychological counselling for women garment factory workers of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Female garment factory workers comprise the largest concentration of women in the labor force in Sri Lanka. Along with issues faced by women in general, they face problems because they work in the garment factories and are often viewed negatively. These are consequences of the new sub-culture that has emerged in the vicinity of these factories, where women are looked upon as mere ‘commodities.’ These women are stereotyped and judged by a society that does not see the human beings behind the stereotypes or the issues they face, while they remain invisible to many. Although they are instrumental in bringing revenue into the country these women are a marginalized group in society. In recent years, the government, non-governmental organizations and employers have realized the importance of psychosocial interventions in helping them in dealing with the problems they face. This paper focuses on such issues and how ‘psychological counselling,’ which is still looked upon with scepticism in Sri Lankan society, is instrumental in empowering and maintaining the mental health and wellbeing of garment factory workers. The paper will also look at the scope of counselling in Sri Lanka and the challenges faced by psychological counsellors in carrying out their work.