Sri Lanka’s enduring commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of its migrant workforce is underscored by a comprehensive system of protections, including mandatory insurance, contributory pensions, grievance redress mechanisms, and reintegration support, according to Deputy Labour Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe.
Addressing the Second World Summit for Social Development held in Doha, Qatar, last week, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe outlined some of the policy and institutional initiatives taken by Sri Lanka to strengthen the governance of migration and enhance protection for workers abroad.
Referring to the National Policy on Migration for Employment and its Action Plan (2023–2027), Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Labour outlined four core policy areas, stating that Sri Lanka firmly believes that labour migration should take place under transparent, government-to-government frameworks, ensuring that both workers and destination countries benefit through fair, safe, and dignified employment relationships.
He also stated that Sri Lanka was exploring ways to strengthen social security, particularly retirement benefits for workers, as this remains one of the major challenges, adding, “By working together with destination countries, we could address this issue.”
The Second World Summit for Social Development was held in Qatar from 4 to 6 November 2025. The Summit, which was held thirty years after the landmark 1995 World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, served as a pivotal platform for dialogue, cooperation and joint solutions and bringing together governments, international organizations, the UN, civil society, cooperatives, academia, the private sector and experts to strengthen international cooperation for inclusive social development.
In addition to attending the Plenary, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe met with Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour, Qatar, Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al Thani, and discussed ways and means of strengthening cooperation between Sri Lanka and Qatar in the area of labour migration and initiatives to further enhance the welfare of Sri Lankan migrant workers in Qatar.
Deputy Minister Jayasinghe also met with Undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development of the Republic of the Philippines, Adonis Sulit, and explored areas of possible cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Philippines in the area of labour and migrant workers’ welfare.
During his participation at the Summit, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe also attended sideline events as a panelist in the “Pathways out of Poverty: India’s Experience in Empowering the Last Mile” on the invitation of India and “Advancing Social Protection for Workers Across the GCC, South Asia & Africa Labour migration corridors” on the invitation by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Deputy Minister Jayasinghe was joined by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the State of Qatar, Sithara Khan, Ministers of the Mission, Kashyappa Ukwatte and Dharmasiri Wijewardhane, B. Vasanthan, Senior Assistant Secretary (Foreign Relations), Ministry of Labour and Third Secretary (Employment and Welfare), A.M.M. Umarath at the Summit, the bilateral meetings and the sideline events. (Newswire)