Prasad Kariyawasam Elected Chair of Committee on Migrant Workers' Rights

31-May-2026

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Former Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka, Prasad Kariyawasam, has been unanimously elected Chairperson of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

The election took place during the 42nd session of the Committee held in Geneva on May 28.

Following his election, Kariyawasam expressed gratitude to committee members for their unanimous support.

He also stressed the importance of adopting a strategic approach to the committee's future work amid contemporary human rights challenges and resource constraints.

A member of the committee since June 2023, Kariyawasam will serve as Chairperson for a two-year term.

Notably, he served as the committee's inaugural Chairperson when it was established in 2004 and has been elected as a member on four separate occasions.

The committee comprises 14 independent experts and monitors the implementation of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, one of the key international human rights treaties.