Sri Lanka unveils 2026-2030 strategy to combat human trafficking

Colombo, July 6 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka's National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force has outlined a new five-year strategy to combat human trafficking, highlighting the growing threat posed by technology-enabled recruitment, labour exploitation and organised transnational crime.

The National Strategic Action Plan on Combating Human Trafficking (2026-2030) was presented to Members of Parliament during an awareness programme held recently at the Parliament Complex, organised jointly by the Ministry of Defence's National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force and the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

According to officials, the strategic action plan is built around four key pillars: preventing human trafficking, identifying and protecting victims, strengthening the criminal justice response and enhancing coordination among State institutions.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Chairman of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, Retired Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, warned that human trafficking has become increasingly sophisticated and is now closely linked to organised transnational criminal networks.

He said that deceptive foreign employment opportunities, fraudulent recruitment schemes, technology-based recruitment methods, forced labour, sexual exploitation and the use of victims in criminal activities have become major challenges for authorities.

The awareness programme sought to strengthen the legislative process by equipping parliamentarians with knowledge of the latest human trafficking trends and the legal and policy frameworks required to address them.

The programme featured presentations by Additional Solicitor General and President's Counsel Haripriya Jayasundara and State Counsel Sajith Bandara of the Attorney General's Department.

Among those present were Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala, Deputy Minister of Defence Retired Major General Aruna Jayasekara, Members of Parliament and senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, Parliament and the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force.