their respective industries. Cost of transport of raw materials and the scarcity of raw materials also have become severe constraints. e) Malnutrition surfaces as yet another constraint common among the women. It was stressed that this is severely common in agricultural areas, plantation areas as well as investment promotion zones. f) The fact that women engaged in informal employment are ignored and facilities required by them are not supplied by the state officials who are responsible for supplying them deserves attention. The husband is considered by the state officials as the chief occupant and there are instances where aids accordingly made available to the husband are misappropriated. g) Problems encountered in using modern technology were brought to the notice at the discussions. It was identified that technical methods were not made use of in the process of improving manufacturing activities in order to develop the production field and adequate knowledge on technologies is not available among the women. h) A problem which is seen as very common for every woman is the practice of ignoring them when taking policy decisions relevant to them and nonavailability of opportunities for them to take part in such exercises. i) In the context of problems prevailing in special fields, there are problems caused by language barriers and living standards in estates and sexual abuses and discriminations are taking place in free trade zones as well as in estates. j) Further, when disabled women are engaged in economic sector, they face problems relating to communication, transport and inaccessibility to facilities. k) Revision of Land Development Ordinance which side-lines the women and revision of legislature pertaining to estate workers are yet to be done and this is a severe constraint. l) The society as well as the Government cannot afford to ignore the women in the North as well as in the South affected due to the war and their empowerment is a dire necessity. m) The problem of looking after the children while mothers are away engaged in economic affairs surfaced at this programme as a severe constraint encountered by the women. Policies with regard to pre-childhood development are yet to be 27 27