News

The Ministry of Labour, with the support of the ILO, organized a training program on forced labour for Labour Officers, Police Officers, and Foreign Employment Officers from 30th July to 1st August ,2025. The purpose of this training was to educate officers on the identification, prevention, and response to forced labour. In this program, 40 officers were trained.

At the opening ceremony, Mr. S.M. Piyatissa, Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, Secretary of the Ministry of Defense and ILO representatives participated and highlighted the importance of raising awareness and the benefits of such training. Secretary, Ministry of Labour highlighted on the benefits of reducing forced labour in the global supply chain and international trade. Secretary, Defense explained the linkage between trafficking and forced labour and further said awareness and capacity building are fundamental elements in this endeavor. The training modules covered a comprehensive range of topics, including understanding forced labour with reference to ILO Conventions and national laws, identifying and reporting cases, investigative and legal procedures, victim support and referral mechanisms, as well as case studies and group exercises. This program was conducted as a Training of Trainers (ToT) initiative, and the trained officers will be used to train other officials in upcoming training on forced labour. The Ministry plans to continue these training sessions as part of its broader efforts to eliminate forced labour from the country.

The training program is expected to lead to an increased ability of officers to detect, prevent, and respond effectively to cases of forced labour. It will also enhance coordination among the labour, police, and foreign employment sectors, fostering a more unified and efficient response to such issues. Additionally, the program will contribute to the retention and transfer of institutional knowledge through the development of trained focal officers within each sector.



Further, concrete action taken by the Government of Sri Lanka in the field of forced labour will help build a better image within global supply chains and ensure enhanced access to Sri Lankan products in international trade.