In a move towards addressing the country’s labour challenges, Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara has advised officials to form a committee to study and develop a comprehensive labour market policy for the next five years.
Minister Nanayakkara speaking to the Daily News, stated that the initiative covers both formal and informal sectors, spanning white-collar, blue-collar, and new-collar jobs, which is backed by the technical assistance of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and local labour economists.
He emphasized that labour market policies are strategies implemented by Governments to manage employment and labour issues. “They aim to ensure a smooth functioning labour market, promoting employment, improving productivity, and ensuring fair wages and working conditions,” he added.
Moreover, he said that the proposed labour market policy constitute a significant stride toward tackling gender disparities within the workforce. “Despite the commendable literacy rates among women, their involvement in the labour force remains disproportionately low. The policy brings forth a promising prospect to invigorate female workforce participation through judicious measures such as flexible working hours, maternity benefits, and the assurance of secure workplace environments,” he said.
The proposed policy will also address childcare. Accordingly, by providing affordable and quality childcare services, the policy would enable more parents, especially women, to participate in the workforce. The Minister also mentioned that the policy aims to address concerns regarding the aging population. “As the workforce ages, there is a need for policies that promote active aging, such as lifelong learning and age-friendly workplaces. The policy should also consider pension systems to ensure income security for older people, he said.
In addition, the Minister mentioned that the labour policy will look forward to addressing labour productivity which will involve collaborations with industries to ensure that the skills taught align with market needs, thereby reducing skills mismatch and boosting productivity.
“The proposed labour market policy is a much-needed initiative for Sri Lanka. It presents an opportunity to address longstanding labour issues and to build a more efficient, productive, and inclusive labour market,” he said.
DINULI FRANCISCO