NCPA to ensure the welfare of children whose mothers seek foreign employment

By Shezna Shums

The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) is aiming to have a law passed in Parliament which would make it mandatory for mothers leaving for foreign employment to sign an affidavit giving details of their children and other matters relating to their welfare.

Chairperson NCPA Anima Dissanayake said that the NCPA had sent a proposal to the Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare in this regard and that it was expected that the Ministry would submit same to the Cabinet for approval soon.

The NCPA wants mothers with children especially children below 18 years of age to sign an affidavit giving details of their age, their place of residence, the schools they attend,  information about their guardian and other relevant details before leaving the country to take up  foreign employment.

Explaining the proposal further the NCPA chairperson said that the affidavit had to be signed together with the guardian so that the authority could hold the guardian responsible for the children’s welfare.  “If there is such an affidavit the NCPA will be able to take action against the guardian in case the children are not being looked after well and the NCPA will also be saved from time consuming procedure in trying to implement the proposal,” highlighted Dissanayake.

It is also hoped that once this is legally implemented, there will be a reduction in mothers leaving their children and going abroad for employment. “At least the mothers will now think twice before they find a job abroad,” she explained.

The NCPA is keen that these proposals are enforced to safeguard the children; “The mothers may earn a lot of money but what is the use, if their children are not safe?” she asked.

Most of the mothers who leave their children in the custody of someone else usually do not send any money for their upbringing, it was noted.

“If the guardian is not looking after the child the NCPA will prosecute the person. Children are not even protected by their own family,” Dissanayake quipped quickly adding, “Although this is not a 100 percent fool proof way of tackling the problem of mothers leaving their children when going for foreign employment, at least this will be a step in the right direction.”

Currently there is no institution where details of a child’s guardian or its welfare etc. can be recorded, when mothers leave the country for foreign employment. But the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment does record details relating to the above in respect of persons who register with them before leaving the country. However Dissanayake noted that even in such a case the child’s age was usually distorted by the mother.

It was also highlighted in Parliament that the government was considering raising the age limit of those who want to leave the country for employment to 30 years.