Children first: Proposal for protection and promotion of child rights submitted to President

Child protection has become a national crisis in our paradise island

Stop Child Cruelty Trust (SCCT) and Child Protection Alliance (CPA) comprising 13 credible organisations committed to protect and promote the rights of children have appealed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the newly elected Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) to elevate child welfare to the heart of national governance ushering a new dawn firmly focusing on the true beneficiaries of the future, our children first. 

The ‘Summary proposal for the protection and promotion of child rights – A dawn of a new era’ highlights that citizens under the age of 18 years constitute 25% of Sri Lanka’s population. Although Sri Lanka ratified the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1991, child protection has become a national crisis in our paradise island. The proposal defines the objectives that GOSL should focus on as short-term (0-6 months), medium-term (6 months-2 years) and long-term (2-4 years). 

The following are identified as short-term objectives: Appoint a Presidential Task Force for Women and Children, provide additional budget allocation for education and child welfare, conclude the legislative process to ban corporal punishment in all settings, revise the circular banning corporal punishment in all schools, nationwide capacity development for teachers on positive discipline techniques and update child protection laws and regulations. Some of the key medium-term objectives are: Make the National Child Protection Authority independent, implement the National Child Protection Policy, compulsory safeguarding training and criminal records check for everyone dealing with children, providing compulsory sexuality education, establish separate courts to expedite cases of child abuse and establish a register of child sex offenders. The long-term objectives include protecting women and children’s rights in the Constitution, implementing the Children’s Act, wide reforms on institutional child care and ending period poverty. 

Explaining the proposal further, Stop Child Cruelty Trust Chairperson and Child Protection Alliance Co-convener Dr. Tush Wickramanayaka said, “All of the leaders of the main political parties including President Dissanayake from National People’s Power (NPP) signed a proposal to put child protection at the heart of the national political agenda in 2022. However, it was deeply disheartening to note the lack of a specific policy proposal for child welfare during the Presidential and General Election campaign of all parties. We hope that this summary proposal will provide direction for the new Government to deliver sustainable changes to really focus on our children first beyond the rhetoric.”

The summary proposal was accompanied by ‘Children First – A deep dive into the national child protection authority’s role in child protection in Sri Lanka’, a comprehensive report of the authority to shed light on its performance and identify areas of improvement. The historic first report of its kind was authored by iProbono, CPA member organisation. iProbono is a global group of social justice organisations and affiliates with a mission to enable people to access their rights in pursuit of a just society. 

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the National Child Protection Authority’s (NCPA) performance, iProbono conducted a thorough review of the Authority’s annual reports, the findings of the Auditor General, and key statistical data spanning the period from 2014 to 2022. This analysis revealed several areas where the NCPA could significantly enhance its operations. The findings suggest that the Authority is not fully leveraging its mandated powers, hindering its ability to effectively address child protection issues. To optimise its performance, the NCPA requires a substantial increase in resource allocation, improved data sharing mechanisms, strengthened inter-sectoral collaboration, and the implementation of robust monitoring and evaluation systems.

iProbono Equality Law Director Aritha Wickramasinghe explained, “This report is a testament to our belief that a robust and effective child protection system is essential for a brighter future for Sri Lanka’s children. We acknowledge the tireless efforts of the NCPA. However, we believe that there is significant room for improvement. By highlighting the challenges and opportunities, we aim to stimulate constructive dialogue and inspire action.”

SCCT and CPA launched the hugely successful #NOguti campaign in 2022, which achieved palpable progress by obtaining Cabinet Approval for the Bill on Legal Reform to Abolish Corporal Punishment on 29 April 2024. This was further endorsed at the first Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogota on 7/8 November 2024 when the GOSL pledged to implement the Bill by mid-2025. SCCT and CPA will launch #InOurHands, another innovative national campaign in January 2025 encouraging people power to hold the public representatives accountable and ensure that the above summary proposal and recommendations of the NCPA Assessment Report are implemented to put Children First. 

SCCT invites all citizens, especially professional organisations working on child related issues to join the public campaign. For further details please visit www.stopchildcruelty.com or email [email protected].