The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a joint proposal to ratify the International Labour Organization’s Convention (188) on work in the fishing industry, paving the way for new regulations to improve standards in the sector.

The convention, adopted at the 96th International Labour Conference in 2007, sets benchmarks for decent working conditions, access to medical care, health facilities, and safety for fishing communities.

Sri Lanka’s fishing industry, which employs more than 315,000 workers, continues to operate at a basic level due to its traditional practices and faces significant challenges in occupational safety, health, and service conditions. 

Officials said ratification of Convention 188 will help introduce internationally recognized standards to address these issues.

The proposal was presented jointly by the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic Resources and Ocean Resources and the Minister of Labour. 

The Cabinet’s approval allows regulations to be implemented as a preliminary step toward establishing the standards required under the convention. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a resolution to introduce legal provisions enabling Sri Lanka to ratify and implement the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on Eradicating Violence and Harassment in the World of Work (C190).

Adopted at the 108th session of the International Labour Conference in 2019, C190 is the first international convention addressing violence and harassment in the workplace. 

The convention was presented to Parliament in May 2021 following a Cabinet decision earlier that year.

According to the government, ratifying and executing the convention will help eliminate violence and harassment in both formal and informal work sectors, ensure safer and more secure workplaces, and encourage greater participation of women in the workforce.

As such, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal presented by the Minister of Labour to implement the required actions for introducing the legal provisions for approval of the convention of the International Labour Organization on Eradicating Violence and Harassment in the World of Work and execution of the same. (Newswire)

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Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe says the government intends to strengthen laws to protect women and eliminate violence and harassment in the workplace in Sri Lanka.

Speaking to the media, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe said as such, the government hopes to ratify the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190 on eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work.

Stating that even though Sri Lanka is yet to ratify this convention, the Deputy Minister said steps will be taken to look into the ratification of the convention and introduce related laws. 

“We will introduce this as a law and ensure the safety of women in workplaces and also prevent all forms of abuse, be it mental or physical, faced by women,” he added.

Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe made the remarks in response to the recent incident of a female doctor being raped while on duty at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital. (Newswire)

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Nayomi Amarasinghe has made history after being recognized as Sri Lanka’s first female seafarer.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), Nayomi Amarasinghe has achieved this feat by overcoming significant gender barriers.

In a statement, the ILO announced that Nayomi Amarasinghe completed her training at the Mahapola Port and Maritime Academy with support from the ILO. 

“Nayomi’s journey proves that determination can break barriers and is a significant step towards gender equality in the maritime industry,” the ILO added. 

ILO full statement on Sri Lanka’s first female seafarer, Nayomi Amarasinghe:

Sixteen months ago, Nayomi Amarasinghe became Sri Lanka’s first female seafarer, after taking part in a training course supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

“My love for the maritime industry is evident from the tattoo of an anchor on my forearm,” she said. “I’m overjoyed that I was able to overcome the gender barriers that could have prevented me from becoming a seafarer.”

After completing her secondary education, Amarasinghe wanted to become a journalist. Despite completing several training courses in journalism, she struggled to find a job. She did not give up. She tried working with her sister, who ran a business, and also started to train as a hairdresser. Then she learned about the seafaring training opportunity.

At first her parents didn’t want their daughter to become a seafarer. “My two brothers are serving in the Sri Lankan navy. It was an effort to get my parents’ blessing to enter the maritime academy,” Amarasinghe said. “It’s difficult to work in this industry, especially if you are a woman.”

Her entry point came through the ILO’s Skilling Sri Lankan Migrant Workers Affected by COVID-19 for Employment, Decent Jobs, and Entrepreneurship project. This facilitated the upskilling of aspiring and returning migrant workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It targeted decent employment opportunities in the maritime sector by working with the National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS). The NUSS linked up with the Mahapola Ports & Maritime Academy to train 21 young men and three young women, including Amarasinghe, as seafarers.  

During the training Amarasinghe learned about the role of seafarers and how to carry out the responsibilities she would have on a ship. She realised that safety was the top priority. “I also received emergency operations training, so I know what steps to take when anchoring a ship,” she said.

Despite her enthusiasm, her training was filled with challenges. “Many individuals, including family members, criticized me for wanting to work in the maritime industry,” she said.  “Many of them didn’t have confidence in my ability to perform my job as a woman.  Their criticism motivated me even more to finish the training programme.”

Since completing her training, Amarasinghe has toured the world working as a seafarer with Carnival Cruise Line. Seafaring is a male-dominated industry, and although she has often been the only female member of the crew, her experience so far has been positive.

“I love working as a seafarer,” she said. “I’ve worked with people from Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy and the Philippines.  They are friendly and I never feel alone. The training was theoretical, but now I am putting my skills to practice and learning more every day.

My main role on board ship is to make sure that the side gates onboard, including on all the smaller boats, are well greased so that they don’t get stuck and we can always open them.”

Amarasinghe says that the best experience of her life at sea so far came earlier this year when she was at the helm of one of the tender boats transporting passengers to and from a cruise ship. “We were at a port in Scotland, it was a very windy day and the water was choppy,” she said, “but I steered the boat safely to shore and the passengers shook my hand and told me they were proud of me!”

With sixteen months of experience the 30-year-old already has plans for her future career in seafaring. “Once I’ve completed my next six-month contract, which begins in September, I plan to take the exams to become an officer. One day perhaps I will become a sea captain.” (Newswire/ ILO News)

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Sri Lanka’s Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara engaged in a significant meeting with the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Gilbert F. Houngbo at the United Nations Headquarters on Monday (June 10). 

According to Minister Nanayakkara’s media unit, the minister is currently in Geneva to attend the Annual International Labour Conference (ILC) of the International Labour Organization. 

During the discussion, ILO Director-General Houngbo commended the progressive work undertaken by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment. 

He specifically commended the recent 70% salary increment for plantation sector workers and noted the adherence to the ILO’s principle of social dialogue during this process.

Additionally, Minister Nanayakkara discussed an upcoming collaborative effort with the ILO and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to train care workers. 

This initiative aims to increase female workforce participation, eliminate gender-discriminatory practices, and ensure decent work conditions for women in Sri Lanka.

Minister Manusha Nanayakkara was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s Permanent Resident Representative to the UN, the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment, Balasubramaniam Vasanthan, the Commissioner General of Labour, Jayasundara, and Advisor cum Private Secretary to the Minister, Shan Yahampath for the discussion. 

The meeting also saw the presence of Chihoko Asada-Miyakawa, the Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific of the ILO.

Highlighting Sri Lanka’s commitment to improving labour standards and employment conditions during the discussion, Minister Nanayakkara has presented the following key initiatives and ongoing projects by his Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment;

• Ratification of ILO Conventions:

The Minister discussed the progress towards ratifying the Work in Fishing Convention (C188). The Ministry of Fisheries has addressed identified gaps, and the government expects to ratify the convention soon.

Provisions in the new Employment Act aimed at combating discrimination, workplace violence, and protecting domestic workers were elaborated.

Plans to ratify the Occupational Safety and Health Convention (C155), Domestic Workers Convention (C189), and Violence and Harassment Convention (C190) were also outlined.

• Social Security Policy:

The policy includes unemployment benefits, maternity benefits, and employment injury insurance. Minister Nanayakkara highlighted that ILO’s assistance is needed to strengthen this framework.

• National Labour Market Information System (NLMIS):

An update was provided on the development of the NLMIS, which aims to address existing gaps in the labour market by providing comprehensive data and insights.

• Labour Market Recovery and Transformation Strategy (LMRTS):

Launched on May 21, 2024, with ILO’s support, the LMRTS focuses on job creation, skills upgrading, and institutional reforms. An inter-ministerial high-level committee will be appointed to monitor and implement this strategy. (Newswire)

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