Social Dialogue for Peace and Crisis Prevention in Sri Lanka

Project Outcomes:

Outcome 1 

Outcome 1 focuses on developing and institutionalizing coordinated dialogue and dispute resolution mechanisms at the national, sectoral and workplace levels of the public sector, which are gender-responsive, and which support improved public sector service delivery. 

The project will therefore support the establishment of dialogue and dispute prevention and resolution mechanisms at workplace, sectoral, and national levels, as a basis for:

1. Reducing conflict at the national level in the public sector
2. Reducing conflict at the sectoral level in the public sector
3. Reducing conflict at the workplace level in the public sector

Outcome 2 

Outcome 2 focuses on improved social dialogue in the private sector, and to gender-responsive and peaceful, dispute prevention and resolution that supports efforts to develop and implement inclusive socio-economic recovery measures. 

This component will focus on the private sector and the strengthening of mechanisms for consultation and dispute prevention at the national and workplace levels as a basis for:

1. Collectively developing inclusive labour policy at the national level 
2. Reducing conflict at a workplace level 

Outcome 3

Outcome 3 focuses on the enhanced engagement of women, youth, and other under-represented workers in the informal economy with district and national level policy making structures, aimed at highlighting and addressing concerns faced by marginalized communities and facilitating inclusive and gender-responsive peaceful dispute resolution.   

The project will focus on empowering women, youth, informal economy workers, and other under-represented groups in key economic sectors to actively engage with district and national policy-making structures, steering policies towards gender-responsive inclusive socio-economic recovery through :

1. Strengthening existing local structures
2. Enhancing representation and access
3. Meaningful engagement in local dialogues
4. Evidence-based knowledge for advocacy

Expected Results:

1. Public Sector Dialogue and Dispute Resolution:

• A National Public Sector Dialogue Forum established to mediate/arbitrate conflicts at the national level, and to promote collective bargaining.
• Sectoral forums created in priority public service sectors (e.g., transport, health, education) as a basis for collective bargaining, and to resolve disputes referred by workplace forums.
• Workplace forums expanded in the public sector to support labour peace and address workplace-level conflicts.

2. Private Sector Dialogue and Dispute Resolution:

• The effectiveness of the National Labour Advisory Council is enhanced. 
• Establishment and strengthening of dialogue and dispute prevention mechanisms at the workplace level.

3. Engagement of Women, Youth, and Informal Economy Workers:

• Policy-making structures capacitated to address concerns of marginalized communities, through enhanced engagement.
• Inclusive, gender-responsive peaceful dispute resolution facilitated.