COLOMBO – The government of Sri Lanka has initiated preliminary steps to officially recognize domestic work as a formal employment category and strengthen the labour rights of domestic workers, the Ministry of Labour announced in a special media release on Monday (15).
The announcement coincided with Tuesday’s (16) International Domestic Workers Day, an annual observance emphasizing dignity, security, and decent working conditions in alignment with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 189, which was adopted in 2011.
According to the ministry, Sri Lankan domestic workers operating both domestically and overseas serve as a vital pillar of the national economy. By providing essential services such as childcare, eldercare, and household management, they enable employment and educational opportunities for millions of citizens.
An expert committee chaired by the Ministry Secretary is currently drafting amendments to reform existing, outdated legislation that date back to the colonial era.
Following the enactment of these legal reforms, the government intends to formally sign and ratify ILO Convention No. 189. The ministry stated that ratification would be a crucial step toward establishing a work environment entirely free from discrimination, exploitation, and violence.
Sri Lanka’s current domestic labour sector is governed by antiquated laws, including the Domestic Servants Ordinance of 1871 (last amended in 1936) and the Drivers’ Ordinance of 1912. National statistics for the sector have not been updated in a decade; the last official census in 2016 estimated a population of 80,000 domestic workers across the country, approximately 66,000 of whom were women.
Public discourse surrounding the safety and legal protections of domestic workers intensified significantly following the tragic death of Ishalini’, a young girl employed in the household of former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. The widely publicized court case sparked nationwide outrage and renewed demands for immediate legislative action to protect vulnerable domestic labourers.
-ENCL
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