In 2010 at the Global Child Labour Conference at The Hague, Netherlands, Sri Lanka made a commitment to help achieve a world free of the worst forms of child labour by 2016. To give effect to this commitment, Sri Lanka is now implementing a “Road Map for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour” developed with the assistance of the ILO, to reach zero tolerance of child labour prioritising its worst forms, by 2016.

The ILO supported the government of Sri Lanka realize its commitments to eliminate the worst forms of child labour by 2016. It has conducted a Child Activity Survey, helped strengthen policies and legal frameworks, developed a roadmap and adopted a mainstreaming strategy approach in pilot activities. The ILO partnering the Ministry of Labour and Trade Union Relations, assisted the district administration to set up a pilot “child labour free zone” in the district of Ratnapura. Sri Lanka also ratified the ILO Convention; Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) and Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138).