Sri Lanka starts work on national plan to improve care system

Colombo, Nov. 7 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka has begun the first steps to build a stronger and fairer care system to better support families, workers, and communities. The move comes as the country faces a fast-growing older population and a rising need for quality care services.

By 2040, one in four Sri Lankans will be over 60 years old. To prepare for this, the Government, with help from the International Labour Organization (ILO), has started creating a National Roadmap and Action Plan on Care. This follows Cabinet approval of the National Social Protection Strategy in September 2025. The new plan was officially launched on October 29, on the International Day of Care and Support.

The plan will focus on both those who give care and those who receive it. It aims to ensure better working conditions for care workers and provide affordable, reliable, and accessible care services for everyone.

The work is led by the Inter-Ministerial Social Care Working Group, co-chaired by the Ministries of Women and Child Affairs, Rural Development and Social Security, and Labour. Other ministries involved include Finance, Education, Health, Foreign Employment, and Public Administration.

Deputy Labour Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe said the Government is committed to promoting decent work in the care sector. Labour Ministry Secretary S. M. Piyatissa said strong legal and policy measures are being planned to improve care services and give more value to care work.

Tharangani Wickramasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, noted that both paid and unpaid care work must be recognized. She said as the population ages, women will carry much of the care burden, so it is important to make care services affordable and of good quality for all.

ILO Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Joni Simpson, said the care economy is vital for social well-being, economic growth, and gender equality. She added that the ILO will support Sri Lanka through its 5R Framework for Decent Care Work — Recognize, Reduce, Redistribute, Reward, and Represent — to ensure care work is respected and well supported through fair and sustainable policies.

The Working Group will now gather input from government agencies, care providers, and the public to shape the plan. The final Care Roadmap and National Action Plan are expected to be completed and launched in 2026, marking an important step in creating a fair and inclusive care system in Sri Lanka.