Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Sri Lanka has been successful in recording low unemployment rates of below 5% in recent years. However, there are considerable disparities by gender and education; the female unemployment rate is more than double that of males, while unemployment tends to increase with the level of education. Youth unemployment stands at 21.5% as of 2019. While social protection programmes cover multiple sectors, 66.7% of those in employment were employed within the informal sector in 2019, thereby not being subject to national labour legislation or entitled to social protection and employment benefits.
8.1Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries
8.2Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
8.3Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.4Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10‑Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead
8.5By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.7Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
8.8Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
8.aIncrease Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries
8.bBy 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization
