Sri Lanka is moving towards a care economy, with the Government giving greater attention to social care through a 10-year national action plan under the supervision of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Labour Minister and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando said, at the presentation of the National Action Plan on Social Care 2026-2035 on Monday (31 August).
Speaking at the event, Fernando said: “In 2024, we came out with a particular policy document on social care and social protection. And now we pay more attention to social care. When the country was preparing its political manifestos several years ago, we were talking about a care economy, which is now well connected with our political will and our political manifesto. Now, a strategy is developed for 10 years, a national action plan, where all those things are converted into actions in the country,” he said.
“Even though a care economy was not in the public disclosures or in the documents, especially in the political documents, due to some reasons, we are now bringing it to our manifesto. Then we will implement that in our manifesto. And we are actively taking measures to make it a reality, by recognising it, by recognising and allocating a certain amount of money to certain areas,” he said.
The economic significance of the care economy is highlighted in Verité Research’s ‘Prioritising the Care Economy for an Inclusive Sri Lanka’ report, based on data from Sri Lanka’s 2017 National Time Use Survey, estimates that the value of unpaid care and domestic work is equivalent to approximately 14% of GDP, with women contributing 86% of this value.
Verité Research also pointed out that prioritising the care economy is essential for inclusive growth, social well-being and economic resilience in Sri Lanka.
Fernando also said: “However, this doesn't happen overnight. For this policy of the fabric of caring to become a reality, it takes time. Hence , we now have a plan for a period of 10 years.”
“Throughout these 10 years, the plan may not be immediately visible, but by the end of 10 years, the country will see tangible outcomes and be happy about it,” he said, expressing appreciation for the contribution in developing the social-care plan.