Sri Lanka’s Migration Profile launched

With 1.8 million workers (and rising) contributing to 8.2% of national GDP, migration is undoubtedly crucial to Sri Lanka. Yet, efforts to improve the conditions of workers and the families they leave behind were hindered by a lack of empirical data.

The problem is mainly due to the fact that there wasn’t a single source of data, and getting a complete picture of the situation in the country meant the collaboration of many different Government ministries and departments, as well as several private sector organisations.

As stated in the opening address given by Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS), Dr. Saman Kelegama, at the launch of the Sri Lanka Migration Profile, “Migration is playing, and will continue to play a key role in the economic development of Sri Lanka.”

The Migration Profile was launched at the IPS premises on Thursday (7th) under the auspices of Dilan Perera, Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare.

The broad objective of preparing the Migration Profile was to analyse and present the overall migration situation in Sri Lanka. It is intended to outline and analyse information in relation to the status of different types of migrant categories, the nature, consequences and contributions to Sri Lanka’s development outcomes. The profile also aims to outline the major challenges with regards to international migration, with a focus on migrants from Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the occasion the Minister stated that the Profile “should not be a dead document, to be filed away in a dusty Government office, but a dynamic document that is to be amended constantly in order to reflect the real situation in the country”. He insisted on the importance of collaboration and research in order to safeguard Sri Lanka’s ‘Rata-Wiruwo’.

He added that the launch of the Migration Profile at this time was extremely opportune as it coincides with two significant events. Firstly, the signing in to place of the International Social Security Program (ISSP) for housemaids in Saudi Arabia which is of extreme importance as it safeguards the, often helpless housemaids in situations of “the non-payment of salaries, includes representation by Arabic speaking lawyers in court, recourse for sexual and physical abuse, and repatriation.”

Secondly, it precedes the Ministry’s collaboration with the Samurdhi Ministry to provide housing for domestic workers who are Samurdhi recipients, and their families. The Minister stated that he has set a target of providing 2,000 houses by the end of this year, with the inauguration happening in Galagedara on 12 March.

The Minister reiterated the importance of research in the management of migration when he announced his intention to set up a permanent research facility within the Ministry premises, with at least one trained researcher in each divisional secretariat, with the purpose of studying the socioeconomic effects of migration, particularly female migration, in Sri Lanka; and the preparation of a Sri Lankan Migration Report, “which will be a source migration document, similar to the Central Bank Annual Report on the Sri Lankan Economy, which will be released on 18 December –International Migration Day”.

Also speaking at the event were Richard Denzigar – Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM); Nissanka Wijeratne – Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion; Donglin Li – Country Director for the ILO country office for Sri Lanka and the Maldives; Roshini Jayaweera – Research Officer at the IPS; with the concluding remarks being delivered by Amal Senalankadhikara– Chairman of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.