The Child Activity Survey conducted in 2015/2016 records that the child labour has reduced by 60 percent in Sri Lanka compared to the previous Child Activity Survey conducted in 2008/2009.
“Children in hazardous forms have also been significantly reduced”, Labour and Trade Union Relations Minister W.D.J.Seneviratne stated.
Minister Seneviratne pointed out that recently the minimum age of education was raised from 14 to 16 through the regulations of the Education Ordinance by the Ministry of Education.
The MInister also noted that the minimum age of employment should also be raised to 16.
He said this while addressing the Fourth Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour held in Argentina recently.
Minister Seneviratne stated that therefore, the necessary arrangements are being made to amend the ‘Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act – No: 47 of 1956’ with the other relevant laws.
The provisions for prohibiting the forced labour of children, prohibiting the child trafficking, Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, and Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities are already set up in the Penal Code of the country, the Minister added.