Migration profile of Sri Lanka launched

by Manjula Fernando

A Migration profile to analyze and present the overall migration situation in Sri Lanka, was launched under the patronage of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera at the Institute of Policy Studies recently.

It is intended to outline and analyze 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 said 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 said the launch of the Migration Profile at this time is extremely opportune as it coincides the signing in to place of the International Social Security Program.(ISSP) for housemaids in Saudi Arabia to safeguard helpless housemaids in situations of "the non-payment of salaries, recourse for sexual and physical abuse, and repatriation." And 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 2000 houses by the end of this year.

The minister reiterated the importance of research in the management of migration and said he intended to set up a permanent research facility within the ministry with at least one trained researcher to cover each divisional secretariat.

It will constantly feed the ministry on socioeconomic effects of migration, particularly female migration, in Sri Lanka; and contribute to the preparation of an annual Sri Lankan Migration Report. With 1.8 million workers (and rising) contributing to 8.2 per cent of the 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.

Information had to be obtained from many different government ministries and departments, as well as several private sector organizations.

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."

Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Richard Denzigar, Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion Nissanka Wijeratne, Country Director for the ILO Donglin Li and Research Officer at the IPS Roshini Jayaweera also spoke.

The concluding remarks were delivered by Chairman of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Amal Senadilankara.