Ensuring Safe Migration and Preventing Human Trafficking
At the end of a two-day event 20-21 February 2020 at Caritas Sri Lanka – SEDEC to commemorate the World Migrants Day, a Declaration was read out by the Bishop of Galle Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond Wickremasinghe, Chairman of the Catholic National Commission for Migration. All those present including National Director Caritas Sri Lanka, Rev. Fr. Mahendra Gunatilleke, Directors and staff of 12 Caritas Diocesan Centres, the National Director and representatives of the Congregation of Major Religious Superiors (CMRS), development officers of foreign employment, members of paralegal committees and migrant community mobilizers affirmed their commitment together with the Bishop and issued the following Declaration..
The Declaration reads as follows:
“We, the service providers to migrants and their families, under the programme supported by the Swiss Development Cooperation, come together as representatives of civil society organizations, volunteers, members of paralegal committees, development officers of foreign employment, officials of relevant Sri Lanka Government agencies and staff of Caritas Sri Lanka network, wish to affirm our commitment striving to do our best, recognizing that migration is a Right, ensuring decent working conditions to those labour migrants; to prevent incidences of human trafficking especially involving children and women, and work in coordination with all concerned with diligence and care, joining hands with the Catholic National Commission for Migration and all other partner organizations, to uphold the dignity of labour and to make the process of migration safer enabling the migrants and their families enjoy maximum benefits of migration.”
Issued on this 21st Day of February 2020 in Colombo
