2.2. Location and Target Population

2 Gather information from the target vulnerable communities …who are deemed more susceptive to forced labour and trafficking and to identify how, when, & where it occurs and possible perpetrators of trafficking and forced labour.

3 Understand how government, nongovernment, CSOs and/ or private structures, at the local level respond to the issues on trafficking and forced labour.

4 Understand the existing policy framework and the status quo with regard to counter-trafficking efforts. To better understand where, how and in what context trafficking and forced labour potentially takes place.

Clarity on the ground situation with regard to efforts underway and perception on trafficking among stakeholders.

Clarity on the current context at the national level is paramount in positioning the findings from the four districts and to inform next steps. What factors contribute towards making prospective migrant workers susceptible to trafficking/forced labour and which actors play a role in this process? (Mapping/chain of relationships) - what factors play a role in the decisionmaking process to migrate? - what avenues have been explored to address these issues? - which relationships/linkages have been used to address these issues? - which actors have offered assistance, support to address these issues?

How do the government, non-government, civil society organisations and/or private structures, at the local level respond to the issues on trafficking and forced labour?

What is the current status on countertrafficking in relation to the policy framework and counter-trafficking efforts?

2.2. Location and Target

Population

As identified – Colombo, Gampaha, Kurunegala and Kandy – are high migration districts for international labour migration. In identifying returnee migrant workers to interview, the basic parameter used was the time of return: the researchers spoke only to those who had returned to Sri Lanka in the past three years. This was in order to both narrow down the sample and also to ensure that memories of their experiences were still somewhat fresh. Furthermore, their experiences would also reflect the changing regulatory framework in Sri Lanka, especially with regard to female migrant workers. Even though it was initially proposed that under sub-objective 2, the definition of who constitute as vulnerable would be narrowed down to two specific groups - those whose FBR had not been recommended and prospective male migrant workers - this was expanded to also include female migrant workers who were making preparations to leave. This was largely in response to the field level challenges encountered in accessing those women whose FBR had not been recommended by the Divisional Secretariat (DS) office. Due to administrative concerns, information on women whose FBR had not been recommended was not forthcoming. Therefore, with the exception of the Kandy district, where the research team did come across those whose FBR had not been recommended, their ‘special status’ was revealed only at the point of conducting the interview.

In addition, in the Colombo district, the team also interviewed a group of young men and women who