SL’s Voice of Migrants, Maldives trade union deepen worker protection cooperation

Monday, 5 October 2026 05:38 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A new cooperation framework between Sri Lanka’s Voice of Migrants (VOM) and the Maldivian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) is seeking to strengthen protection, information access, and grievance support for Sri Lankan migrant workers in the Maldives.

The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 1 August, establishing a platform for cooperation on issues affecting migrant workers and prospective migrants.

VOM said it has briefed its members on the arrangement and is encouraging them to raise awareness among families of Sri Lankans currently working in the Maldives and among prospective migrants through migrant societies and community networks.

A key component of the initiative is improving access to reliable information before and during migration. The MTUC has agreed to provide VOM with information and awareness materials covering its support services, procedures for seeking assistance, and rules that migrant workers should understand.

VOM said it will explore opportunities to link the initiative with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Employment and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), with the objective of extending the benefits of the arrangement to a wider group of existing and prospective migrant workers.

The cooperation is already producing a practical intervention. The MTUC has begun supporting a Sri Lankan migrant worker in the Maldives in connection with the non-implementation of a civil court order relating to compensation, VOM said.

The initiative comes against the backdrop of the importance of overseas employment to Sri Lanka’s economy, with migrant workers contributing significantly to household incomes and the country’s foreign exchange earnings.

VOM said stronger links between migrant organisations, trade unions, and Government agencies could help workers obtain accurate information before departure, understand their rights, and access assistance when disputes arise.

The organisations expect the cooperation to create a more structured support channel for Sri Lankan migrants in the Maldives, while also strengthening awareness among prospective migrants about the procedures, responsibilities, and protections associated with overseas employment.