The strong cooperation between Sri Lanka and the ILO dates back to Sri Lanka’s admission to the ILO in 1948. Since then, Sri Lanka has been a very active member of the organization. We deliver our technical and financial assistance to the country through a Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP), which encapsulate the mandate of the ILO.

It is developed in full consultation with our tripartite partners; the Employer’s Federation of Ceylon (EFC), the trade unions and the Government (Ministry of Labour and Trade Unio Relations as our focal point). We believe that decent work is central to efforts to reduce poverty, and is a means for achieving equitable, inclusive and sustainable development in Sri Lanka.

Together with our partners we work in a number of technical areas all related to the world of work; wages, green jobs, industrial relations and labour market governance, social security, employment policy development, strengthening of employers’ and workers’ organizations, prevention of child labour, employment promotion, enterprise promotion and value chain development, community-based vocational training, livelihood recovery in conflict and disaster affected areas, reintegration of ex-combatants, labour migration, combatting trafficking, labour-based technology including planning of small-scale infrastructure, HIV/AIDS in the work place, gender mainstreaming and sexual harassment in the workplace.
The Maldives became a member state of the ILO in May 2009. At present, we focus on the development of labour market institutions, social dialogue, tripartism and ratification of ILO core labour conventions in the Maldives.

You are always welcome to contact the ILO office with questions or comments on ILO’s activities in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.