Sri Lanka mulls improving labor protections for domestic workers

Colombo [Sri Lanka], August 12 (ANI/Xinhua): Sri Lanka's Minister of Labor Nimal Siripala De Silva has proposed amendments to local labor laws that would increase protections for domestic workers and make them eligible for pension schemes, local media reported Thursday.
De Silva was quoted in the Daily FT as saying that "Relevant amendments to the bills to establish a wage board for domestic workers and to grant membership of the Employees Provident Fund and Employees Trust Fund to those domestic workers will be submitted to the Cabinet soon."
In a meeting held with representatives of domestic workers rights groups, the minister also suggested that individuals and agencies involved in brokering and marketing of domestic workers should be banned.
There are over 80,000 domestic workers in Sri Lanka, according to data from Sri Lanka's Department of Census and Statistics.
Public concerns over the wellbeing of domestic workers have been rising after the recent death of an underage domestic worker who was employed at the residence of a prominent politician. (ANI/Xinhua)