Sri Lanka will establish mini garment factories in under developed provinces to empower women in rural areas. About 150 mini garment factories will come up in select districts. Under the program, rural women will be selected through a transparent method and priority will be given to those who belong to displaced families and who became widows due to the civil war.

The women will be given training in tailoring by the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel while the National Entrepreneurship Development Authority and the Industrial Development Board will train them in entrepreneurship development. Assistance in designing will be provided by the National Design Centre and the Jathika Shilpa Sabawa. The program is designed to encourage small and medium scale entrepreneurs in approaching the international market and provide job opportunities for rural women.

Sri Lanka’s apparel export industry is the most significant and dynamic contributor to Sri Lanka’s economy. The industry has enjoyed epic growth levels over the past four decades and is today Sri Lanka’s primary foreign exchange earner, accounting for 40 per cent of total exports. This industry, entirely privately owned, has successfully exploited opportunities in the international market.

The country has the highest apparel exports per capita of any exporting nation in the region.