Sri Lanka, a democratic country with a market-based economy, has developed into a middle-income country. Despite 25 years of civil war and the 2004 tsunami, the country's economy has been resilient and Sri Lanka's Human Development Index rankings on life expectancy, literacy and mortality rates are well above those in comparable developing countries in South Asia. Nevertheless, the country faces a challenge in maximizing the benefits of globalization.
The economy has changed from being agriculture-based to one dominated by the services sector, which has become the largest employer. Agriculture however remains the main source of employment and livelihood in rural areas, where most people live.
The ILO’s country office was opened in Colombo in 1984. The office also provides support for activities in the Maldives.
ILO activities in Sri Lanka are guided by the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) 2008 - 2012, which is aligned with national and multi-lateral development assistance frameworks. The DWCP links employment promotion with basic rights, social protection and social dialogue. Working with the tripartite partners, the aim is to make decent work a central objective of national development policies and strategies. Sri Lanka was one of the first South Asian countries to develop a National Plan of Action for Decent Work (NPADW). This plan embodies the core principles enshrined in the ILO mandate and also takes to count the wide variety of supporting tools developed by the ILO.
Current ILO projects in Sri Lanka:
- Skills development for economic empowerment and the creations of livelihoods after Tsunami - ILO CBTREE Project
- Youth Employment Project
- Micro & Small Enterprise Development Project for Pro-poor Growth in Sri Lanka (Enter-Growth Project)
- HIV/AIDS prevention in the world of work in Sri Lanka
- Enter-growth Project