{"id":242431,"date":"2025-07-01T02:20:53","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T20:50:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=242431"},"modified":"2025-07-08T14:08:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T08:38:15","slug":"ending-child-labour-in-sri-lanka-tackling-root-causes-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/ending-child-labour-in-sri-lanka-tackling-root-causes-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Ending Child Labour In Sri Lanka: Tackling Root Causes First"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Asoka S. Seneviratne<\/a>\u00a0\u2013<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Prof. Asoka.S. Seneviratne<\/p><\/div>\n

“We cannot punish our way out of child labour\u2014we must uplift our way out. Only by addressing the poverty, exploitation, and cultural pressures that push children into work can we truly free them to be children.”<\/p>\n

Following the publication of my article on “Ending Child Labour: The Importance Of Enforcement, Accountability & Social Reform<\/a><\/span>\u201d with Colombo Telegraph<\/em> on June 27, 2025, many asked me to write another article elaborating on the root causes indicated and how to address them.<\/p>\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s renewed effort to eliminate child labor through strict enforcement measures, starting in July 2025, signifies a major policy shift. While this action is praiseworthy, enforcement alone is not enough. Unless we address the underlying causes\u2014poverty, trafficking, and family pressures\u2014legal actions will just push child labor underground. Real change requires a systemic approach that focuses on prevention through social reform. As the saying goes, we must put the horse before the cart.<\/p>\n

The Nature and Extent of Child Labour in Sri Lanka<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

According to the 2022 National Child Activity Survey (NCAS), over 100,000 children ages 5\u201317 are involved in some form of labor in Sri Lanka. Nearly 40% of them work in hazardous conditions. These numbers, however, only scratch the surface. Many cases go unreported, particularly in informal sectors such as domestic work, agriculture, and small-scale manufacturing. The problem is more severe in rural, plantation, and post-conflict areas.<\/p>\n

The factors that drive child labour are interconnected, rooted in the socioeconomic structure of families and communities. To eradicate child labour sustainably, we must understand the nature<\/i> and extent<\/i> of each underlying cause.<\/p>\n

Poverty: The Engine behind Child Labour<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Nature:<\/b><\/span> Poverty remains the most persistent and deep-rooted driver of child labour. Families struggling to meet basic needs often see child employment not as exploitation, but as an economic necessity. When parents are unemployed, underemployed, or engaged in low-paying informal work, children are compelled to contribute to household income.<\/p>\n

Extent:<\/b><\/span> In districts like Monaragala, Mullaitivu, and Nuwara Eliya, where poverty rates surpass the national average, child labor is especially widespread. These regions also have limited access to quality education, making school attendance physically and financially difficult. The COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 economic crisis worsened the situation, pushing thousands more into vulnerability. According to the World Bank, Sri Lanka\u2019s poverty rate increased from 11.3% in 2019 to 25% in 2023, significantly raising the risk of child labor.<\/p>\n

Response Strategy<\/b>:<\/span> The government must expand targeted poverty alleviation programs like Samurdhi, but with stricter means-testing and accountability measures. Introducing conditional cash transfers linked to school attendance can decrease the economic motivation to send children to work. At the same time, rural employment programs for adults\u2014especially single mothers\u2014could reduce family reliance on income from children.<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Trafficking and Exploitation: A Silent Crisis<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Nature:<\/b> <\/span>Child trafficking for labour, sexual exploitation, and domestic servitude remains an under-reported but significant threat. Children from broken families, orphanages, or those living without formal guardianship are particularly at risk. Often, children are promised education or jobs in the city, only to be forced into unpaid or exploitative labour.<\/p>\n

Extent:<\/b><\/span> Although data on trafficking is limited because of its secretive nature, anecdotal evidence and law enforcement reports indicate that trafficking networks operate across district borders, particularly between rural areas in Eastern, Northern, and Central Provinces and urban centers like Colombo and Gampaha. The 2023 U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report lowered Sri Lanka\u2019s rank due to weak law enforcement and inadequate victim support systems.<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Response Strategy:<\/b><\/span> Strengthening the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), improving inter-agency coordination, and expanding victim rescue and rehabilitation services are urgent needs. Public awareness campaigns in high-risk districts\u2014especially via schools, religious institutions, and media\u2014can also play a vital role. Cross-border and inter-provincial monitoring, with real-time data sharing, must be institutionalized.<\/p>\n

Family Pressure: Cultural and Social Norms<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Nature:<\/b><\/span> Not all child labour stems from poverty or crime. In some communities, children are expected to contribute to their family’s livelihoods, take over family trades, or help with household chores, often at the expense of their education. In other cases, child work is tied to outdated cultural norms or social obligations such as dowry preparation, early marriage, or elder care responsibilities. Often, parents are unaware of the long-term harm they cause.<\/p>\n

Extent: <\/b><\/span>Surveys show that over 30% of working children come from families with at least one adult present, indicating that family pressure\u2014not just abandonment or trafficking\u2014is a main factor. In plantation regions and coastal fishing communities, cycles of labor are passed down through generations. Girls, in particular, are pushed into domestic work or early marriage, with limited chances for education or social mobility.<\/p>\n

Response Strategy<\/b>:<\/span> Enhance parental education and community awareness initiatives. School-based outreach combined with social worker follow-ups can be impactful. Community child protection committees, including religious and civic leaders, can help challenge harmful norms from within. School feeding programs and uniform stipends can also reduce household burdens that lead to school dropouts.<\/p>\n

Structural Gaps in Law Enforcement<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Even with strong laws on paper, including the Employment of Women, Young Persons, and Children Act, enforcement remains weak. Many child labour cases are settled informally or overlooked. Labour inspectors are under-resourced, and inter-agency coordination is sporadic. Moreover, when children are found working, few systems exist to rehabilitate or reintegrate them.<\/p>\n

We should therefore shift the focus from punitive enforcement to structural prevention. Enforcement ought to be a last resort, used only after comprehensive prevention and support measures have been exhausted.<\/p>\n

Policy Recommendations<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

To truly end child labour, Sri Lanka needs a coordinated, multi-sectoral strategy:<\/p>\n

1. Economic Interventions<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

* Conditional cash transfers for families.<\/p>\n

* Rural employment programs for adults.<\/p>\n

* Expansion of free school meal and transport programs.<\/p>\n

2. Institutional Strengthening<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

* More funding and training for the NCPA and Labour Department.<\/p>\n

* Integration of Child Protection Services into Local Governance.<\/p>\n

* Data collection systems to track vulnerable children.<\/p>\n

3. Education and Empowerment<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

* Education subsidies for uniforms, materials, and school fees.<\/p>\n

* Bridging programs for school dropouts and working children.<\/p>\n

* School counsellors are trained in child protection.<\/p>\n

4. Community Engagement<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

* Local child protection committees are led by religious\/civic leaders.<\/p>\n

* Public campaigns challenging norms that normalize child labour.<\/p>\n

* Legal aid and family mediation services.<\/p>\n

Summary<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Child labor is a complicated social issue, caused not by a single factor but by a mix of poverty, trafficking, and family pressure. These fundamental causes are deeply woven into Sri Lanka\u2019s socioeconomic structure. Unless they are addressed directly, efforts to enforce laws will be reactive, inadequate, and ultimately unsustainable.<\/p>\n

Conclusion: <\/b><\/span>Putting the Horse Before the Cart<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

While Sri Lanka\u2019s decision to tighten the enforcement of child labour laws is necessary, it cannot succeed in isolation. We must first address the circumstances that force families to make impossible choices\u2014choosing between survival and legality.<\/p>\n

By investing in poverty alleviation, safeguarding vulnerable children from trafficking, and reshaping family and social norms through education, we can create a society where children are viewed not as laborers but as learners and future leaders.<\/p>\n

Ending child labour is not merely a legal challenge\u2014it is a moral imperative. Let us start by putting the horse before the cart.<\/b><\/p>\n

*The writer, among many, served as the Special Advisor to the President of Namibia from 2006 to 2012 and was a Senior Consultant with the UNDP for 20 years. He was a Senior Economist with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (1972-1993), asoka.seneviratne@gmail.com<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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