Events and meetings

February 2012

1. National consultation on reviews of mechanisms that address migrant worker grievances in Sri Lanka and in Labour Receiving Countries

   13 February 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   In 2011,the ILO country office commissioned two studies to review grievance redress mechanism available to Sri Lankan migrant workers within Sri Lanka and countries of employment. The aim of commissioning these reviews were to support the improvement of the current systems of migrant worker grievance handling mechanisms. The objective of the National consultation is to share the findings of both reviews and to obtain stakeholder views and comments on the findings, conclusions and recommendations in each report.This forum will be the foundation for the next phase of this initiative which includes a meeting of the diplomatic missions in the Labour receiving countries and the formulation of a new operational framework for diplomatic missions in addressing migrant worker issues.

December 2011

1. Action Against Gender-Based Violence at Work - A workshop for employers

   7 December 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) is organizing the above workshop under the Joint United Nations Programme on Prevention of and Response to Gender-Based Violence in Sri Lanka. Participants of this workshop will be exposed to an overview on gender, prevention of gender-based violence and sexual harassment at work and the corresponding legal framework in Sri Lanka. The workshop will also provide a platform to share experiences, best practices and information with individuals and/or organizations with interests in action against GBV and identify appropriate strategies for collaboration. Speakers and participants for the workshop will be drawn from the private sector, employers' organizations and international agencies, all working on this important agenda.

November 2011

1. A WARMer and Greener initiative for decent work

   23 November - 29 December 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   This training is funded under the ILO – Australian Partnership Agreement (2010 – 2015) being implemented in Sri Lanka from October 2010 – June 2012.

October 2011

1. ILO Capacity Building Programme: Working with UN. Workers and Employers contribution to Achieving Decent Work in a changing regional environment

   20 - 21 October 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   The Regional Unit for Partnerships is supporting Geneva colleagues (EXREL, PARDEV and INTEGRATION) to respond effectively to the requests of the Governing Body (TC committee) to assist workers and employers organisations to increase institutional capacity to mainstream decent work into UN processes, with a special focus on social partners participation into DWCPs and UNDAFs. This workshop is part of a series of bi-partite training for social partners - similar workshops took place in the Africa and the Americas region in 2010, and the Arab region in 2011

2. Subregional Seminar on "Strengthening the Labour Movement to Achieve Decent Work"

   18 - 19 October 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

3. Foundation Training workshop on Green Jobs for ILO constituents and partners

   13 - 14 October 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   The two day programme will cover issues relating to Green Jobs such as the key concepts of Green Jobs; the importance of Green Jobs within the lexicon of Sustainable Businesses; regional perspectives and initiatives; the national legal regime for creating Green Jobs and the role of social partners in promoting Green Jobs for a just transition to a green development paradigm. The workshop will be structured around presentations; working group sessions and the analysis of local case studies for improvement and/or replication. This activity is funded by the Australia Government – ILO Partnership Agreement 2010-2015.

4. Foundation Training workshop on Green Jobs for ILO constituents and partners

   13 - 14 October 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   The two programme will cover issues relating to Green Jobs such as the key concepts of Green Jobs; the importance of Green Jobs within the lexicon of Sustainable Businesses; regional perspectives and initiatives; the national legal regime for creating Green Jobs and the role of social partners in promoting Green Jobs for a just transition to a green development paradigm. The workshop will be structured around presentations; working group sessions and the analysis of local case studies for improvement and/or replication. This activity is funded by the Australia Government – ILO Partnership Agreement 2010-2015.

5. National Technical Seminar on the Formulation of the National Human Resources and Employment Policy

   13 - 14 October 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   The ILO has provided strong technical support to many countries to develop their respective human resource and employment policies. A high level discussion of the findings of the ten thematic working groups and technical consultations in preparing background documents on the National Human Resources and Employment Policy.

6. Employers Organizations: Enhanced effectiveness in membership promotion,retention, lobbying, services and sharing of policies,services on labour-trade issues

   4 - 5 October 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   The workshop is organized by International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin and the Dutch Employers Cooperation Programme (DECP) in collaboration with Bureau for Employers’ Activities (ACT-EMP) in Geneva and the support of the ILO Offices in New delhi and Sri Lanka to strengthen the employers’ organizations to perform more effectively by increasing the skills of key personnel and their capacity to boost the effectiveness of EOs in South Asia by sharing of practices on membership promotion /retention, services, lobbying in general, and with specific reference to lobbying/services on labour related issues in trade.

September 2011

1. Residential Programme on the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons in Sri Lanka for State Counsel

   16 - 18 September 2011, Wadduwa, Sri Lanka

   The application of international conventions including human rights instruments and ILO conventions are important tools in the development of national legislation criminal legislation on the prevention of human trafficking. Cognizant of the importance of applying such standards in the prosecution of such cases, the International Labour Organization (ILO) together with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized a Residential Training Programme for the State Prosecutors of the Attorney General’s Department in Sri Lanka.

2. Towards a Better Governance of Labour Migration: Global Trends and National Realities"

   10 September 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   ILO in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare is organizing a seminar on "Towards a better governance of labour migration". This seminar will contribute towards enhancing their understanding of issues relating to the overall migration process (Global, Regional trends), the Normative Framework, and the National Policy on Migration.

3. Towards a Better Governance of Labour Migration: Global Trends and National Realities"

   10 September 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   ILO in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare is organizing a seminar on "Towards a better governance of labour migration". This seminar will contribute towards enhancing their understanding of issues relating to the overall migration process (Global, Regional trends), the Normative Framework, and the National Policy on Migration.

August 2011

1. Pilot awareness training course on "Work Adjustment for Recycling and Managing Waste"(WARM)programme

   22 - 23 August 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   The Green Jobs Project of the ILO is being implemented in Sri Lanka from October 2010 - July 2012. The project seeks to deepen ILO constituents understanding and commitments for the promotion of gender sensitive green jobs opportunities and a just transition for workers and employers towards an environmentally friendly development in Sri Lanka. A pilot awareness training course on WARM programme is therefore developed with the aim of promoting the safety health and working conditions of waste collectors and workers through the promotion of dialogue and cooperation between waste collectors and community.

2. Value Chain Development in Solid Waste Management Stakeholder Consultation and Validation Workshop

   19 August 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   The International Labour Organization ILO) together with Waste Management Authority of Western Province jointly implements a Value Chain Development (VCD) program for the Compost and Plastic Recycling sector. The overall objective of this workshop is to highlight the findings that focus on improving the competitiveness of the composting and plastic recycling sectors in order to achieve its potential for development of the local economy and to create more green jobs. Its purpose is also to bring all relevant stakeholders together to take actions towards making the sector effective and progressive.

3. Value Chain Development in Solid Waste Management Stakeholder Consultation and Validation Workshop

   19 August 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   The International Labour Organization ILO) together with Waste Management Authority of Western Province jointly implements a Value Chain Development (VCD) program for the Compost and Plastic Recycling sector. The overall objective of this workshop is to highlight the findings that focus on improving the competitiveness of the composting and plastic recycling sectors in order to achieve its potential for development of the local economy and to create more green jobs. Its purpose is also to bring all relevant stakeholders together to take actions towards making the sector effective and progressive.

4. Judicial Colloquium on Human Trafficking and Forced Labour for Magistrates

   7 - 9 August 2011, Negombo, Sri Lanka

   The programme will include sessions on international labour standards and conventions relating to human trafficking and forced labour, domestic law and amendments on the subject, prosecutions, victims and psychological impact etc. This programme is being developed in consultation with the Ministry of Justice and the Judges Training Institute.

5. National Workshop on Skills Recognition of Migrant Workers

   4 - 5 August 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   The national workshop on "Skills Recognition for Migrant Workers" provides an opportunity for countries in the South Asia region to, further consider the issue, share their experiences and learn first hand of the Sri Lankan efforts to implement the national action plan for the skills recognition of migrant workers. This workshop is organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development; Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission; Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion & Welfare, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and the ILO.

6. Regional Conference on Human Resource Development through Tertiary Vocational and Education and Training (TVET) as a development strategy in Asia

   2 - 3 August 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   This conference was organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development together with the ILO, ADB and World University Services Canada. Web link for the Conference http://www.tvec.gov.lk/HRDAsiaConf/index.htm

July 2011

1. Employers’ Organizations and Disability Inclusion: Study Tour 18 – 22 July 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   18 July - 22 August 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   People with disabilities face severe unemployment in the Asia and Pacific region and throughout the world and they make up a significant proportion of the world’s poor, as much as 20 per cent by UN estimates. Yet, they are often excluded from the very opportunities − social, educational and vocational − that could lead them out of poverty. More than half of the world’s disabled people − a total of 370 million − live in the Asia and the Pacific region and of those, 238 million are of working age. No country can successfully develop when such a large segment − between 5 to 20 per cent of the population by various estimates − are excluded from the social and economic mainstream.

June 2011

1. “Green Light for Green Jobs” – Employers Symposium

   30 June 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

   This symposium was held on 30th June 2011 for members of the Employers' Federation of Ceylon (EFC)to raise awareness on the concept of green jobs, to brief them on a proposed green initiative mapping exercise and to build capacities within the EFC (professional staff and organisations in the membership of the EFC).