Sri Lanka has introduced a comprehensive 10-year action plan aimed at recognising and formalising unpaid care work and developing the social care sector as a structured part of the national economy.
The Ten-Year National Action Plan on the Social Care Sector (2026–2035) seeks to address longstanding gaps in social security and professional recognition by introducing National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) certification and contributory social protection schemes for workers engaged in care-related services.
The plan also proposes targeted care programmes for vulnerable groups, including older persons and people living with severe disabilities. Around 18% of Sri Lanka’s population is elderly, while approximately 3.7% live with severe disabilities.
A key objective of the initiative is to reduce and redistribute the burden of unpaid domestic and care responsibilities, particularly on women. The Government expects the measures to strengthen support services from the national level down to rural communities and encourage greater female participation in the workforce.
Female labour force participation in Sri Lanka currently stands at 32.3%, and the Government aims to increase this through improved access to care services and a more structured social care system.
The details were discussed at a technical meeting on the Ten-Year National Action Plan on the Social Care Sector held recently at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel in Colombo. The meeting was chaired by Labour Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando and focused on technical aspects of developing the country’s social care sector.
The action plan has been finalised in line with the National Social Protection Policy and Strategy with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The plan was developed under the leadership of the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and the Ministry of Labour. It has now been submitted for the final stage of Cabinet approval.
