Wheels move for National Policy on Labour Migration
Wheels move for National Policy on Labour Migration
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
The Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Ministry yesterday announced a National Policy on Labour Migration.
The effort is intended at developing a solid framework, with better protocol to enhance labour migrants contributions to the economy, society and their families, in addition to effective measures in minimizing negative impacts and ensuring human and labour rights.
The proposed National Policy, developed with the participation of both foreign and local stakeholders, including the International Labour Organization (ILO) is considered as the first of its kind in South Asia.
Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwella while officially announcing the proposed framework, said the aim was to articulate the state policy regarding Lankan labour migrants, in recognizing their significant contribution to national economy through foreign exchange remittances and other mechanisms.
“Overall, the national policy aims to promote opportunities for all men and women to engage in migration for decent and productive employment, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity,” he said.
“It is intended to do so through the institution of policies, laws, regulations, services and facilities for migrant workers and their families” the Minister said.
The proposed framework is expected to spread its tentacles on all spheres related to migrant labour through three key windows, such as good governance, protection and empowerment of workers and their families and linking migration with the development process.
According to latest statistics, the Sri Lankan migrant worker fraternity is considered to be in the excess of 1.6 million with another 220,000 (average) new recruits joining the force annually.
It is important to build-up a work-force covering all Divisional Secretarial Divisions in Sri Lanka who will be responsible for the promotion development, protection and Welfare of migrant workers.
Despite the fact that women as domestic workers have earned billions of dollars, their employment abroad has created a social degeneration in the country. Therefore, steps have been taken to reduce this category leaving the country to 25 percent in the future, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said
The Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Ministry yesterday announced a National Policy on Labour Migration. The effort is intended at developing a solid framework, with better protocol to enhance labour migrants contributions to the economy, society and their families.
Six thousand Sri Lankans would be found employment in South Korea next year, Chairman, SLBFE Kingsley Ranawaka said. He said that foreign exchange from migrant workers which was around Rs 150 million a few years ago had increased to Rs 350 million a year.
An organised gang has used forged documents with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) emblem to swindle millions of rupees from more than 60 people with the promise of lucrative employment and training opportunities in Japan.
Sri Lanka's ratings in the Korean migrant labour market has shown a rapid increase, improving its ranking from a meagre 13, one year back to a very competitive number three, SLBFE Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said.
OTHER LINKS
Partners, who
work together with Ministry of Forign
Employment Promotion: & Welfare
