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On Universal Children's Day, which fell on November 20, State Minister of Women's and Children's Affairs Geetha Kumarasinghe said in Parliament that over 2000 teenage mothers had been reported in Sri Lanka for the year 2022. These figures were issued by the Family Health Bureau. Medical experts also revealed that over 8000 children had become victims of grave sexual abuse or harassment from January to October that year. In that backdrop, child abuse was identified as an unbearable burden on the country and child protection became a collective social responsibility.

A secure future

Stop Child Cruelty Trust, founded by Dr. Tush Wickramanayaka, has been at the forefront of raising awareness on child protection over the past few years. One of its main goals is to end corporal punishment in schools while educating parents, teachers, and children on why it is important to grow up in a violence-free and harassment-free society. In view of Universal Children's Day, the National "Happier and Safer Education - Secure Schools" program was launched to strengthen child protection in Sri Lanka.

The #NoGuti campaign to end corporal punishment in schools was launched in February 2022, and the Secure Schools program was introduced to add more weight to the commitment to end violence, harassment, and abuse faced by children. Dr. Wickramanayaka said the program had been introduced to 39 schools in the Southern Province, while Hikkaduwa Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya would engage in the full one-and-a-half-year program as the beacon school of the Southern Province.

She explained that Sri Lanka is a signatory to the UN Child Rights Convention and that the country's commitments are reviewed every four years. In the 2018 review, the UNCRC identified five urgent and critical categories: an end to corporal punishment and harassment against children, the eradication of child sexual abuse, an end to child labour, improved well-being for homeless children, and updating the legal framework. The recommendations also called for child protection policies and teacher training programs in schools, along with a transparent complaint mechanism.

Parents were also to be educated through separate workshops so that they understand the Constitution, their rights as citizens, and the risks children face, including drug addiction, sexual health vulnerabilities, cyber abuse, and harassment.

Burden on health sector

Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, said that one indicator of a country's progress is how its children are treated. From January 1 to October 2023, over 8000 children were reported as victims of grave sexual abuse and/or harassment, and over 80% of them needed counselling and medical attention. He noted that the health sector was already under pressure after the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, with shortages of drugs and emergency treatment facilities worsening the situation.

He added that there is no proper mechanism to support children who have faced sexual abuse, harassment, and violence. Even when victims are admitted to hospitals, they often carry heavy psychological damage, and the system can further revictimize them. He stressed that teachers must take a frontline role in identifying vulnerable children and that sexual health education should be made compulsory.

A recent report from the Auditor General's Department showed a backlog of more than 40,000 child abuse complaints. The legal fraternity has raised concerns and urged all institutions responsible for child protection to work together more effectively so that cases can be expedited and relief can reach victims without delay.

Child abuse has now been identified as one of the top grave crimes in Sri Lanka, and retired Deputy Inspector General Priyantha Jayakody said the police must present evidence to courts more quickly to reduce the burden on the justice system.