Special Awareness program on Personal Data Protection Act
The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) successfully hosted a special awareness session titled “The Salient Provisions of the Personal Data Protection Act No. 09 of 2022” on11th October 2024 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH).The event brought together a distinguished panel of legal experts and an enthusiastic audience eager to understand the implications of this landmark legislation for the private sector.
The session highlighted how the Act, inspired by the European Union’s GDPR, positions Sri Lanka as a leader in data privacy and protection in South Asia, featuring comprehensive presentations by the following panel of esteemed legal scholars:
- Prof. Sampath Punchihewa, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.
- Prof. Sanath Wijesinghe, Head, Department of Legal Studies, The Open University of Sri Lanka.
- Dr. Thusitha Abeysekara, Head, Legal Studies Unit, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
The discussions focused on the core principles of the Act, including data subject rights, the obligations of data controllers and processors, and the critical need for explicit consent and transparency in data handling.
The Act’s practical implications were explored in depth, focusing on how private sector organizations can align their operations with the new law. Pertinent areas covered included the importance of appointing Data Protection Officers, implementing data protection management programs, and addressing data subjects’ rights, such as access and rectification.
The session concluded with an interactive Q&A segment, during which attendees raised queries about sector-specific applications and sought clarifications on operational challenges.
