Sri Lanka to establish Children’s Council to protect children
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has proposed establishing a Children’s Council to oversee both the promotion of children’s interests and their protection.
He said that short-term recommendations must be promptly implemented and the existing committee must include stakeholders from the Government, specifically authorities in child care and probation services, along with representatives from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and the police force.
Strengthening police numbers, particularly in women and children’s desks at every Police station, is imperative, the President added.
“Additionally, we must consider establishing a new structure and enacting new legislation. I advocate for the formation of a Children’s Council to oversee both the promotion of children’s interests and their protection. The management of probation and child care services should be devolved to the nine provinces, as I believe this responsibility does not necessarily belong to the central government,” he said.
The President also said that immediate action should be taken on short-term recommendations, while the process of enacting new legislation pertaining to children’s rights should also be expedited.
The President expressed these views at the launch of an online platform enabling the swift removal of websites, photos, and videos containing or potentially containing instances of child sexual abuse.
Recognizing the urgency of addressing child abuse in cyberspace, the initiative targets the dissemination of nude photos and indecent videos of children through internet and social media channels. Implemented by the National Child Protection Authority in collaboration with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), renowned for its expertise in internet child safety enforcement, the program receives financial support from Save the Children and Child Fund.
The launch of this online initiative was attended by Minister of State for Women and Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, Ms Geeta Kumarasinghe, Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority, Senior Lecturer Udayakumara Amarasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, Ms Yamuna Perera, and representatives from various organizations dedicated to ensuring child safety. (Colombo Gazette)
