Child Rights in Sri Lanka

Against a backdrop of civil unrest, economic collapse and natural disasters, Sri Lanka has done well to advance the situation of children across the country including action to address child labour - yet challenges persist. Today 2.3% of the country’s 4.5 million children are working, half of which are engaged in child labour and some engage in the worst forms of child labour. 

As many as 85% of Sri Lanka’s working children reside in rural areas and the majority of them work within the service sector. They are often in precarious conditions that harm their health and safety. A child rights risk assessment of Sri Lanka's tea industry carried out by The Centre for Save the Children in 2020 found that child labour, low wages of parents, poor living conditions and lack of day-care among others, all pose risks to children linked to the agricultural sector. Working children also face challenges accessing education, with only 39% of them attending school in 2016. 

The Sri Lankan economic crisis in 2022 is continuing to impact the nation's population. The economy contracted by 7.8 percent in 2022 and 7.9 percent in the first half of 2023 according to the World Bank. Despite being on a slow path of recovery, issues such as malnutrition, poverty and difficulties keeping children in school persist. Although price increases have been contained in 2023, the situation for children and families, particularly in rural areas in Sri Lanka, is still worrisome.