Sri Lanka, Oct. 5 -- Sri Lanka's labour force participation rate rose to 50% in the second quarter of this year, the highest level since 2021.

The latest data released by the Department of Census and Statistics also puts the unemployment rate steady at 4%.

But the overall numbers hide sharp divides.

Unemployment among women with advanced-level qualifications or higher stood at 9.6%, more than double the national rate, and nearly three times the rate for equally educated men.

Youth unemployment also worsened during the quarter, climbing to 17.8%, up from 16.1% just three months earlier.

The data points to more people working fewer hours, too.

The share of workers putting in 40 hours a week or more fell sharply from the previous quart...