Sri Lanka 

Facts and Figures

IOM Member State since 1990

Capital: Colombo; Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
Population (2010): 20.4 million
Area: 65,610 sq km
Languages: Sinhala, Tamil, English
Currency: Sri Lanka rupee (LKR)
GDP per Capita PPP (2009): USD 4,772
HDI Rank (2010): 91 of 169
Remittances (2009): USD 3,363 million
Net Migration Rate (2010-2015): -2.9 migrants /1,000 population
Immigrants (2010): 1.7%
Women as a Percentage of Immigrants (2010): 49.8%
Population under 15 (2010): 24.3%
Adult HIV Prevalence (2007): <0.1%


Sources and Definitions

Latest News

Overview

Sri Lanka is challenged by different migration patterns and dynamics as it enters a post conflict era.

With the island's 25-year-old conflict coming to an end in mid 2009, thousands of families were displaced in the North and the East. IOM in coordination with other humanitarian agencies assisted the Government of Sri Lanka to address significant humanitarian needs generated during the emergency through the provision of emergency shelters, water, sanitation and hygiene support, health support, camp care and maintenance, transport and logistic services, donation of de-mining equipment and a technical enhancement of registration capacity. At present, IOM's interventions focus on assisting the government to resettle displaced populations in their villages of origin and to reintegrate former combatants, thus supporting national efforts in building peace and stability. Earlier this year, Sri Lanka was also struck by a series of flash floods that affected over one million citizens in 13 districts. IOM has supported the Government efforts with the provision of over 10,000 non-food item (NFI) kits, tarpaulins, plastic sheeting and logistical support to the Ministry of Health in the worst-affected areas.

Years of conflict and slow economic development have resulted in an increased outflow of Sri Lankans, with some choosing irregular means and falling prey to trafficking and smuggling rings. This has evidently shown a need for IOM and state actors to enhance its institutional capacity to combat human trafficking and irregular migration.

Managing migration has also become a priority. IOM assists in building the country's capacity to manage migration and supports the development and implementation of technical cooperation projects.

The end of the conflict and stringent immigration laws in developed countries continue to create a regular stream of Sri Lankans requiring reception and reintegration back home. IOM in partnership with relevant stakeholders offers voluntary returnees a tailor-made return and reintegration package.

Sri Lanka has a long history of labour migration flows especially to the Middle East. IOM collaborates with the Government of Sri Lanka to improve training techniques, enhance skills of these migrant workers and explore new labour markets for skilled as well as unskilled labour.

Movement, Emergency and Post-Conflict Migration Management

IOM's support in responding to the needs created by the complex emergencies in Sri Lanka focuses on:

  • Relief assistance to conflict-affected populations
  • Support to populations affected by the tsunami and other natural disasters

IOM's experience in relief operations in Sri Lanka began in 2003 when the organization supported conflict-affected communities, and was further developed with the response to the emergency needs created by the devastating impact of the tsunami. Currently the organization, with its experience and expertise in relief operations, multi-district set up and strong field presence (it has sub-offices in Ampara, Batticaloa, Jaffna, Killinochchi and Vavuniya), focuses on providing fast and reliable assistance to communities affected by conflict and natural disasters by tailoring interventions to their specific needs as assessed directly or through joint agency assessments.

IOM's Emergency Response Programme in Sri Lanka involves both emergency humanitarian action and interventions aimed at facilitating post-conflict health systems recovery. IOM continues to provide health assistance to IDPs in camps and to those who are returning home.

Key components of IOM's relief operations are:

  • Transitional Shelter
  • Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
  • Health Assistance
  • Livelihood Restoration and Food Security
  • Provision of Non-Food Relief Items
  • Transport and Logistical Support
  • Psychosocial Support Activities

IOM's post-crisis and early recovery activities in Sri Lanka include: returns assistance, development and rehabilitation of large/small scale infrastructure, provision of reintegration services to vulnerable groups including ex-combatants, and provision of early recovery support for livelihoods development.

Projects

  • Emergency Shelter Assistance, Transitional Shelters, WASH and Livelihood in Sri Lanka
  • Transportation of returning IDPs
  • Transportation and delivery of relief items
  • Transitional shelters in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi
  • Transition Initiative for Sustainable Return and Reintegration of IDPs
  • Life Saving Assistance through Provision of Non-Food Items to Flood Affected Households
  • Emergency medical referral care for the conflict affected Northern Province of Sri Lanka
  • Immediate primary health care assistance in Menik Farm and monsoon mitigation activities
  • Reintegration of former combatants and conflict associated groups
  • Community Revitalization Livelihood Support in Ampara


Migration Health

IOM's health programme in Sri Lanka includes emergency humanitarian action (both conflict and natural disasters), post-conflict health systems recovery and providing technical cooperation to the Government of Sri Lanka for migration, health and development.

Strengthening Migration Health Management in Sri Lanka. This IOM funded project supports the Government of Sri Lanka's efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health (MoH) to promote and better manage the health of migrants through policy and national programme development within an inter-ministerial processes. The MoH is actively engaged in advancing the 61st World Health Assembly Resolution (WHA 61.17, 2009), which calls upon Member States to promote the 'health of migrants'. With technical assistance from IOM, the Ministry is now in the process of developing a National Policy for Migration Health. Furthermore,with the support from IOM, the MoH has established an inter-ministerial coordinating framework on migration health. This high-level 'whole of Government approach' has achieved remarkable progress in a very short amount of time. The project received seed funding from IOM's 1035 Facility.

Project

  • Technical Cooperation on Strengthening Migration Health Management in Sri Lanka


Migration and Development

Donors

IOM supports initiatives that contribute towards promoting benefits of migration to national development and to migrants themselves. IOM programmes that contribute towards national development include enhancement and promotion of labour migration to high migrant demand countries, capacity building of communities, supporting small-scale actors – local authorities, NGOs and diaspora groups – to become more active and effective, sustainable livelihood support, and community infrastructure and enterprise development support. IOM also supports initiatives that contribute towards reducing outward migration pressures in Sri Lanka by offering services that investigate not only the impact on economic development but also social protection.

Projects

  • Implementation of Readmission Agreement in Pakistan and Sri Lanka
  • Selection and Recruitment of 500 Migrant Workers for Canada, Italy
    and Libya
  • Labour Migration Pilot Project
  • IEMS


Regulating Migration

IOM supports national initiatives that aim at strengthening the capacity of government and other stakeholders to manage migration more effectively. IOM's programmes under this service area include:

Immigration and Border Management. IOM's Immigration and Border Management (IBM) activities help the Government of Sri Lanka equip itself with the necessary policy, legislation, administrative structures, operational systems and human resource base needed to tackle diverse migration problems. IOM Sri Lanka's activities take the form of direct project design and implementation, or of facilitating and supporting national, bilateral and multilateral actions.

Improving passport issuance process, border control, data collection, networking, process re-engineering, provision of assistance to policy and strategy development, providing latest technologies and technical expertise, training development and facilitative services in international cooperation are key activities of IOM Sri Lanka.

Counter Trafficking. IOM's counter-trafficking programmes support national efforts to prevent and prosecute trafficking cases by drawing on the organization's technical expertise and local resources. A series of capacity building activities strengthened national efforts in addressing trafficking issues. IOM, through local implementing partners, provided protection and reintegration assistance to victims of trafficking in Sri Lanka and strengthened the capacities of these partners to continue providing such assistance to victims. The programmes also aim to expand national data collection and management systems to track trafficking-related cases and crimes. IOM has also conducted a series of nationwide information campaigns on countering irregular migration including trafficking.

Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Assistance for Sri Lankan Migrants. IOM assists and facilitates the voluntary return of Sri Lankans – failed asylum seekers, stranded and irregular migrants – from the European Union, Australia and en route countries. IOM offers a wide range of services including:

  • Pre-departure logistical arrangements: information outreach, assistance with travel arrangements, escort assistance to vulnerable returnees and transit support,
  • On arrival assistance: airport assistance, onward transportation and medical escort, and
  • Reintegration assistance: Training including business development, vocational and on the job, small scale business set up, job placement and referral services.

In addition the programme also supports community infrastructure development in selected returnee receiving areas.

Projects

  • Enhancement of Border Control Procedures
  • Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme
  • Counter Trafficking in Persons in Sri Lanka: Strengthening Prosecution and Victim Protection
  • Enhancement of Counter-Terrorism Procedures and Prevention of Irregular Migration in Sri Lanka


Facilitating Migration

Through a series of facilitative services, IOM supports outward migration flows so that migrant workers can explore fair, social and economic opportunities in high migrant demand countries. IOM's initiatives seek to match demand and supply by promoting best practices through providing access to information, engaging all actors and strengthening cooperation. IOM's Facilitated Migration Unit supports resettlements, repatriation, while assistance is provided for family reunifications, third country resettlement for refugees from other countries and voluntary repatriation programmes through processing of documentation and arranging medical screening and transportation. IOM also provides transportation and emergency humanitarian assistance to persons requiring evacuation from emergency and post-emergency situations. At the request of a number of governments, IOM performs a range of services including document verification, interviews, visa/application assessment and orientations.

Through the labour migration programmes IOM supports the Government of Sri Lanka's efforts in poverty alleviation and development by enhancing labour migration management for the benefit of migrant workers, their families and communities. In cooperation with its network of missions worldwide IOM contributes to various regional and international labour migration initiatives by supporting research, policy development, position papers and high level regional conferences helping strengthen regional and international mechanisms that would eventually help governments develop better informed policies and establish instruments that benefit migrant workers.

Projects

  • IOM Facilitated Migration Service
  • Canadian Orientation Abroad


Migration Policy and Research

IOM supports research initiatives and aims to provide necessary knowledge that will inform the development of effective policies as well as enable stakeholders to come together towards common migration issues. Under its research programme, IOM supported the establishment of a National Centre for Migration Statistics in cooperation with the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS). Other research initiatives supported by IOM include various studies on labour migration, trafficking issues, and gender roles in migration.



Last updated:
Main text: May 2011
Facts and figures: May 2011