Decisive policy action needed for a decent future of work in Sri Lanka
Decisive policy action is needed and social dialogue is a must for a decent future of work in Sri Lanka, says Simrin Singh, Country Director for International Labour Organisation (ILO) for Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Speaking to the Business Times on the sidelines of the launch of the report ‘Future of Work in Sri Lanka’ held at the Trace City in Colombo last week, she said: “We need to work together to create an inclusive future where technology leads to progress and development not for a few, but for all. Employers, organisations, workers’ organisations and state agencies in Sri Lanka need to anticipate and harness the opportunities created through emerging technologies and work together to create a decent future of work for everyone. We must work to ensure that no one will be left behind in Sri Lanka’s world of work.”
It is hoped, the government takes on board some of the policy areas outlined in the report, particularly with respect to education and skilling and labour protection. Left to market forces alone, technology trajectories are unlikely to deliver decent work for all. The government will need to play an active role in shaping these future trends towards more equitable outcomes, she stressed.
Discussing unemployment in Sri Lanka, she noted that unemployment in Sri Lanka needs to be tackled in two ways: One by increasing investment in parts of the economy that will be the growth centres of the future and secondly by provision of new skills for the workforce both young and old, so they develop capacities to meet the demand for the newer skill sets that will be required in the future.
The report tries to fill a genuine gap in the current debate on the impact of emerging technologies on the world of work in developing countries. Automation and job displacement, employment conditions (with an emphasis on labour welfare and social protection) and labour inequalities are the lens through which the future of work in Sri Lanka is examined.
The report also develops propositions on how to shape a better future of work for Sri Lanka from the point of view of the vulnerable, with implications to increase women’s labour force participation, to tackle the youth unemployment and underemployment challenge and to care for a rapidly ageing society.
Three vital ‘bright spots’ for Sri Lanka as it faces technological transitions are highlighted in the report namely, care economy, tourism and green and sustainable business.