By: Ovindi Vishmika
September 20, Colombo (LNW):
A New Era for Child Witnesses
Sri Lanka has taken a landmark step in reimagining its justice system with the introduction of child-friendly court facilities, beginning at the Kandy High Court. The initiative allows children to testify from secure, age-appropriate rooms equipped with modern audio-visual technology, ensuring that victims are not forced into direct confrontation with alleged perpetrators.
For decades, children in Sri Lanka faced the intimidating and often traumatizing experience of entering traditional courtrooms. The new child witness rooms are designed to protect their dignity while preserving the integrity of legal proceedings. Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, inaugurating the facility, called it a “turning point” for the country’s judicial system—one where justice now also means protection.
Beyond Technology: A Comprehensive Model Service
These witness rooms are part of a larger reform package: a comprehensive model service for child protection and justice. Jointly launched by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration and the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, with support from the European Union and UNICEF under the JURE project, the service introduces six flagship reforms.
These reforms include an enhanced 1929 Child Helpline, integrated case management, stronger support services, streamlined justice processes, improved practices for child testimony, and the establishment of child-friendly courts across the country. Together, they create a holistic framework to ensure that children receive not just justice but also sustained care and protection.
Legal Backing and Structural Change
Importantly, the initiative is anchored in law. The facilities operationalize recent amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, passed in June 2025, which formally recognize the validity of child testimony recorded outside the traditional courtroom. This legal recognition ensures that the innovation is enforceable, not symbolic.
By embedding these practices into legislation, the reforms represent more than pilot projects—they are structural changes to the justice system. They also lay the groundwork for specialized high courts for children, a step Minister Nanayakkara emphasized as crucial for the future of Sri Lanka’s judiciary.
Reducing Trauma, Strengthening Justice
The positive implications of these reforms are profound. Shielding children from direct confrontation with perpetrators reduces the risk of secondary victimization, a well-documented weakness of adversarial justice systems. Children are able to testify in a safe, supportive environment, which makes their accounts more reliable and less influenced by fear.
For prosecutors, this translates into stronger evidence and a greater likelihood of securing convictions in cases of violence against children. In turn, the credibility of the justice system is enhanced, as victims and their families gain confidence that courts can deliver justice without compounding harm.
Meeting Global Commitments
The reforms also reflect Sri Lanka’s international commitments. At the 2024 Bogotá Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, the government pledged to strengthen legal frameworks and protection mechanisms. The establishment of child witness rooms, coupled with moves to outlaw corporal punishment and advance child-centered legislation, is a direct fulfillment of those promises.
By aligning its justice system with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international standards, Sri Lanka demonstrates its determination to protect its youngest citizens in line with global best practices. This alignment not only strengthens children’s rights domestically but also enhances the country’s reputation as a leader in child protection within the region.
International Partnerships and Digital Transformation
The role of international partners is central to this success. The European Union, through its Support to Justice Sector (JURE) project, and UNICEF have provided the technical and financial support to make these reforms possible. EU Ambassador Carmen Moreno underscored the urgency of addressing violence against children, while UNICEF Representative Emma Brigham emphasized the importance of holistic, child-centered systems that integrate justice with welfare.
Equally important is the integration of digital innovations. From video testimony systems to digital case management, technology is being harnessed not just to modernize court infrastructure but to humanize it. This aligns with the government’s broader digital transformation agenda, making justice more efficient, accessible, and compassionate.
Building a Nationwide Network
The launch in Kandy is only the beginning. The Ministry of Justice has announced plans to expand the initiative to 15 more high courts in the first phase, followed by 35 additional judicial institutions nationwide.
Once fully implemented, Sri Lanka will have a national network of child-friendly courts.
This expansion redefines the role of the justice system in the lives of children. Instead of being an intimidating institution, courts will become spaces of protection, dignity, and recovery. It is a cultural shift as much as a legal one, marking a new relationship between the state and its youngest citizens.
A Cultural and Legal Watershed
Sri Lanka’s introduction of child witness rooms and the broader child protection model represents a watershed in its justice system. It is more than a courtroom reform—it is a systemic shift that integrates legal, social, and digital innovations into a child-centered approach.
The positive legal implications are clear: operationalizing child rights, reducing secondary trauma, strengthening prosecutions, and laying the groundwork for specialized courts. Just as importantly, the initiative fulfills international obligations and demonstrates the current government’s commitment to embedding child protection at the heart of governance.
By creating a justice system where children’s voices can be heard without fear, Sri Lanka is setting a new standard for the region. If scaled effectively, these reforms will not only deliver justice but also rebuild trust in state institutions ensuring that the country’s youngest citizens grow up in a society that values their dignity, safety, and rights above all else.
