Migrant worker rights:

UN lauds Government

Rasika Somarathna

UN experts have welcomed several recent initiatives adopted by the Government to strengthen migrant worker rights, protection and welfare facilities (including their families).

The UN Committee on Migrant Workers at their recently concluded sessions in Geneva endorsed changes such as setting up of a separate Ministry for the subject, adoption of a National Labour Migration Policy and the amendments to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) Act, as steps in the right direction.

The Committee has noted with appreciation the commitment to migrant workers’ rights as illustrated by the national constitutional, legislative, judicial and administrative frameworks that include several institutional mechanisms.

The Committee welcomed the establishment in 2007 of the new Ministry for Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare.

It also has a word of praise for the National Labour Migration Policy which garners technical assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO).

According to SLBFE Chief Kingsley Ranawaka who participated at the deliberations, recent measures to control illegal recruitment had been widely welcomed.

However, the committee had also strongly recommended authorities to concentrate on practice, awareness and implementation of adopted procedures.

Welfare measures for migrants and their immediate families such as a ‘welfare fund’, pre-departure training programs, insurance and loan schemes etc. too has been highly recommended.

In addition Sri Lanka’s active role in the regional consultative processes on the management of overseas employment and contractual labour too had been praised.

The Committee had welcomed the recent ratification of, or accession to, instruments such as the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime of 2000; The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963; and ILO Convention No.105 (1957) on the Abolition of Forced Labour.

While hailing the positive aspects, the committee also recommended the authorities to strengthen measures to combat sexual abuse of women while working abroad, to take effective measures to combat human trafficking smuggling: have a strict monitoring process over recruitment agencies and to enact Labour Migrant social security agreements with other countries.

They have also recommended to adopt strong procedures to have better control over the migrant worker remittances, to prevent abuse.

Sri Lanka’s migrant worker fraternity in the excess of 1.6 million is the country’s highest foreign exchange earner.

The 11th session of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families was held in Geneva from October 12 to 16.

The Sri Lankan delegation comprised SLBFE Chairman, Kingsley Ranawaka, Additional General Manager L. K. Ruhunage, Foreign Employment and Welfare Ministry Additional Secretary S. Nanayakkara, Disaster Management and Human Rights Ministry Project Officer M. Fernando, Acting Ambassador to the Sri Lankan Resident Representatives office in Geneva U. L. Jahuhar and other members also participated.

At the beginning of the sessions on Sri Lanka, a statement by Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was read.