Department of Census & Statistics Ministry of …

1 Department of Census & StatisticsMinistry of National Policies and Economic Affairs child ACTIVITY SURVEY 2016 Department of Census and Statistics Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs child Activity Survey 2016 Department of Census and Statistics ii ISBN 978-955-702-006-8 Date of publish 2017-02-21 Colombo This report was jointly prepared by the International labour Organization (ILO) and the Department of Census and Statistics of Sri Lanka (DCS). Funding for the survey and the report was provided by the United States Department of Labor under Cooperative Agreement numbers IL-21179-10-60-K and IL-24943-13-75-K through the ILO. The designations employed in this material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the ILO concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers.

2 The responsibility for opinions expressed in signed articles, studies and other contributions rests solely with their authors, and publication does not constitute an endorsement by the International labour Organization of the opinions expressed in them, nor does it reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of Labor. Reference to trade names, commercial products and processes or organizations does not imply their endorsement by the International labour Organization or by the United States Government, and any failure to mention a particular trade name, commercial product or process or organization is not a sign of disapproval. child Activity Survey 2016 Department of Census and Statistics iii Preface child Activity Survey (CAS) has been conducted in Sri Lanka since 1999 by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS).

3 The latest round of CAS was conducted in 2016. This survey covered the whole country and it collected the data related to children aged 5-17 years in the areas of schooling, working conditions, child labour , health conditions and living conditions. All children in Sri Lanka are eligible to receive free education until the end of university education, and the education is compulsory until age 16. Further, Sri Lanka is in a better position with respect to most of the human development indicators. In 2006, member states of International labour Organization (ILO) made a commitment to eliminate the worst forms of child labour by 2016. Sri Lanka has signed and ratified ILO Convention 138 on the Minimum Age for Employment and ILO Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of child labour .

4 Accordingly, in 2010, a special Government Gazette notification declared several activities, as hazardous, prohibiting the children under eighteen years involve in such activities. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of such measure, in 2015 Ministry of labour and Trade Union Relations, requested to conduct a child Activity Survey with the financial and technical assistance of ILO. Accordingly, DCS conducted a child Activity Survey in 2016 whereas the Department conducted the survey previously in 1998 and 2008 as well. This report is compiled based on data collected from the child Activity Survey 2016, the collected information includes demographic, economic activities, health and safety, housing, and household characteristics and perception of parents/guardians and other related characteristics of the children aged 5-17 years.

5 In addition, this report provides vital information on child population, working children, child labour and hazardous forms of child labour in Sri Lanka. It is expected that the information provided in this report would facilitate informed decision making for the welfare of the children in Sri Lanka. Dr. Satharasinghe Director General, Department of Census and Statistics 21st February 2017 Department of Census and Statistics , Sankyana Mandiraya , No. 306/71, Polduwa road, Battaramulla. child Activity Survey 2016 Department of Census and Statistics v Acknowledgement The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) was able to complete the child Activity Survey 2016 successfully with the support of various groups who are interested in the welfare of children in the country.

6 They include the general public, staff of DCS including District staff, offices of the Ministry of labour and Trade Union Relations, other government organizations, and the staff of the International labour Organization (ILO). However, the names of following persons need to be mentioned in particular for the valuable contribution they made to make this project a success. Planning and execution of the survey was done by staff of the Sample Surveys Division (SSD) of the DCS under the direction of Mr. Dias, Former Director and Mr. Sunil Senanayake Deputy Director (SSD) and all survey activities were coordinated by Mr. W. W. M. A. S. Premakumara, and Mrs. Bandara, Additional Director Generals of the DCS. Funding and Technical advices for the survey was provided by the ILO.

7 DCS acknowledges the ILO and their donor agency United States Department of labour (USDOL) for their continuous support and support rendered by the ILO consultant Mr. Bijoy Raychaudhuri, and Mr. Azfar Khan, ILO Geneva is deeply appreciated. In addition, Mr. Donglin Li, ILO country Director and the officers of ILO Colombo office including Ms. Shyama Salgado, Dr. Indra Thudawe and Ms. Bianca Abeygoonawardane are greatly appreciated for their contribution in conducting the survey successfully. Field data collection activities of the survey were undertaken by Statistical officers and Statistical assistants under the supervision of Senior Statisticians and Statisticians of the DCS and the field operation activities were organised by Mr.

8 Kumara, Statistician under the direction of Deputy Director, Sample Surveys Division. Co-ordination of the fieldwork was done by Ms. Gunasekara, Mr. Sunil Senanayaka, Mr. Alahakoon, Mr. Wanapuspa, and Mr. Dissanayake, Deputy Directors of the DCS under the direction of Mrs. Bandara, Additional Director General. The supervision of the field work was done by Statisticians, , , Deepawansha, Mr. , , , , , , , Karunasiri, Perera, , Mr. Badurdeen, and Senior Statisticians Liyanage and Mr. The support provided by the ICT division of the Department is greatly appreciated. Mr. Assistant Director (ICT) developed the data entry program and Mr. Assistant Director (ICT) developed the data-cleaning program.

9 Mr. K. M. R. Wickramasinghe, Deputy Director (ICT), developed the sample selection programs. Data entry activities were done by Information and Communication Technology Assistants (ICT) staff of the SSD with the direction of Mr. Bandulasena, Former Aditional Director General ICT and then under direct supervision of Mrs. Fernando, Director (ICT). With the direct supervision of Dr. Amara Satharasinghe, Director General and Mrs. Bandara, Additional Director General of the DCS this publication was prepared by Wijebandara, Mrs. Dilhani Deepawansa, Jayawicrama, Mr. Chinthaka Karunarathna, and Nanayakkara Statisticians and Senior Statistician of the SSD. The tabulations and estimations and were done by Mr.

10 Tyrrone Fonseka, Mr. Senadeera, Ms. Dilrukshi, Mr. K. Weerasiri, Ms. Chandrarathna, and Miss. Subhashinee, statisticians of the SSD. Mr. Perera, Mrs. Gunasekara, Mr. T. Thirugnanatheepan Mr. Amal Athapaththu, Mrs. Nilushini, Mrs. Liyanage, Mrs. Ekanayake, Mr. S. Balasankar and all other statistical officers and statistical assistants of the SSD provided the necessary support during data cleaning, analysing and tabulation stages of the survey. Mr. Perera prepared the thematic maps of the report. Special word of appreciation is forwarded to Mrs. Wijebandara, Statistician for all her contribution at each activity of the survey. Printing of survey materials and the report was done by the Acting Printing Manger Mr.