Controversy erupts over alleged ‘hidden LGBTQ promotion’ at ILO C190 awareness event

• Critics allege C190 awareness programmes are being used to subtly promote LGBTQ-related ideas beyond labour reforms 
• Sri Lanka’s LGBTQ community still faces legal and social difficulties

As the Sri Lankan government moves ahead with plans to stop violence and harassment at workplaces by ratifying the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Convention No. 190 (C190), a controversy has arisen. Critics claim the move is also being used to quietly promote and normalise LGBTQ-related ideas under the cover of labour reforms.   

The government says C190 is only about protecting workers and creating safe and respectful workplaces. However, several religious, political and civil society groups argue that some awareness programmes linked to the convention carry wider social messages that have not been openly discussed in Parliament or with the public.   

The issue drew attention during an ILO C190 awareness programme held on January 9, 2026 at the Labour Ministry auditorium, under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe. At the start of the event, participants were given packs of playing cards, which later became a point of concern for some attendees.  

Normally, a deck of cards has 52 cards in four suits—Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs and Spades—with 13 cards in each suit. However, participants said the card packs distributed at the event included different images and cartoons carrying advocacy messages.   

A trade union leader who attended the event, speaking to the Daily Mirror without revealing his identity, claimed the material showed a “hidden effort to promote LGBTQ acceptance” along with labour rights. He said the programme was attended mainly by selected trade unions that often support certain agendas, and that the content went beyond workplace safety into sensitive social issues.   

According to the source, the card packs were distributed by the National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS). The front of the card box reportedly carried the message: “THIS CARD PACK WILL HELP TO END VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT AT WORK #ratifyC190 – Mondiaal FNV.” The campaign aims to encourage support for ratifying C190, which is the first international treaty to guarantee a work environment free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence.   

The campaign is supported by several organisations, including the Dutch trade union confederation FNV, its international arm Mondiaal FNV, and NUSS.   

Critics also pointed to the pictures printed on the cards. The back of the card pack showed a cartoon explaining ILO Convention 190, while some cards—especially the ‘9 of Hearts’—had images used by NUSS to promote the convention. These pictures showed different groups, including informal workers and members of the LGBTQ community, as being protected under C190.   

Opponents say that although these messages are presented as labour rights issues, they introduce social topics that should be openly debated. A civil society representative said using international labour laws to bring in wider social ideas avoids proper discussion and parliamentary review.   

Sri Lanka’s LGBTQ community still faces legal and social difficulties, as same-sex relationships remain illegal under old colonial laws. While activists see C190 as a chance to improve safety and fairness at work, critics argue that any wider social changes should be discussed clearly and separately.   

ILO Convention 190 was adopted at the 108th International Labour Conference in Geneva. It applies to all workers in public, semi-public and private sectors and gives a broad meaning to the “world of work.”   

As debate continues, there are growing calls for the government to clearly explain whether ratifying C190 is only about labour protection or part of a larger social reform plan.