An International Labour Organization (ILO) initiative will address social protection gaps in Sri Lanka, leading to expanded coverage for formal and informal workers.
The Sri Lankan component of ILO's "Promoting and Building Social Protection in South Asia" programme, which is funded by the Government of Japan, was launched in Colombo on 30 July 2025 in partnership with the Government of Japan.
The launch event brought together the Ministry of Labour, the Employers' Federation of Ceylon and trade unions alongside dignitaries from the Embassy of Japan to Sri Lanka, development partners, think tanks and civil society.
The initiative, funded by the Government of Japan in the amount of USD 1.6 million, marks a pivotal step toward strengthening social protection floors, empowering informal workers and promoting decent work in Sri Lanka and across South Asia through supporting new and improved unemployment, maternity, and pension schemes.
Anoop Satpathy, Officer-in-Charge of the ILO Country Office for Sri Lanka and the Maldives stated, "The project is a reaffirmation of our goal to extend social protection to informal workers, care workers and women whose contributions are essential yet too often go unrecognized and unrewarded."
Speaking at the launch, Michiko Miyamoto, Director of the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for South Asia emphasised the value of social protection.
"Social protection is not a handout but an investment. It improves productivity, encourages formalization, supports household consumption and ultimately contributes to social cohesion and economic stability," she said.
Representing Japan, Mr. Kenji Ohashi, Head of Economic and Development Cooperation Section of the Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka, reaffirmed Japan's long-standing commitment to inclusive development: "Building a sustainable and inclusive social protection system is more vital than ever. Japan remains fully committed to this collective effort to ensure that no one is left behind."
© ILO
Remarks were also delivered by ILO's constituents, underscoring their collective commitment to advancing social protection in Sri Lanka. The Ministry of Labour, representing the government, emphasized the importance of policy coherence and institutional strengthening. The Employers' Federation of Ceylon highlighted the role of the private sector in fostering inclusive growth and decent work. Meanwhile, the Ceylon Workers' Congress, speaking on behalf of workers, called for greater coverage and equity in social protection schemes, particularly for those in informal and vulnerable employment.
The Sri Lankan component of the project focuses on expanding social protection coverage through the development of new and improved unemployment, maternity, and pension schemes; extending social protection to informal workers who are often excluded from formal systems; and embedding gender equality throughout the design and implementation of social protection, with particular attention to care economy workers.
