September 18, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is facing a profound challenge in safeguarding its children, with newly released figures revealing over 15,000 reported incidents of abuse in 2024 alone—a number that officials say likely masks a far more disturbing reality.
The Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Saroja Paulraj, speaking candidly on the matter, described the situation as a national emergency requiring urgent and wide-reaching reform. “There is no place in a civilised society for violence against children,” she stated, calling for meaningful change across institutions, communities, and mindsets.
Statistics compiled from multiple agencies paint a troubling picture. The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) reported receiving more than 8,700 calls via its dedicated helpline last year, whilst police records show over 6,400 formal complaints linked to abuse and exploitation. Despite the sheer volume of reports, Minister Paulraj cautioned that the official figures likely underrepresent the true scale of the issue.
“Many children suffer in silence—unseen, unheard, and unaided. Fear, shame, and social stigma often prevent them from coming forward. What we see is only the surface,” she said.
In response, the government is advancing a broad child protection strategy under the National Policy Framework 2025, aimed at creating a more responsive and compassionate system that genuinely places children at its heart.
Key reforms include the development of a more agile reporting and case-handling process, the introduction of child-sensitive investigation methods, and enhanced collaboration between protection services, schools, law enforcement, and health professionals. Training and capacity building across frontline services are also being prioritised, to ensure a skilled and empathetic response to children in distress.
“Children are not statistics. They are individuals—complex, emotional, and deserving of our full care and attention,” Minister Paulraj emphasised. “We need to move away from purely bureaucratic responses and start treating children as human beings first.”
Sri Lanka’s efforts are also being shaped by its international commitments. At the 2024 Inter-Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children in Bogotá, the country pledged to introduce a range of progressive measures by mid-2025. These include:
* Establishing a national network of survivor support services rooted in child-centred care
* Strengthening the social services workforce with a focus on community-level prevention
* Outlawing corporal punishment in all settings, including homes and schools
* Promoting schools as safe spaces within a broader national violence prevention plan
What sets these reforms apart is the inclusion of children’s own voices. Over 1,200 children were consulted in shaping the current agenda, ensuring that the policies reflect not just adult assumptions, but the lived realities of young people across the island.
As part of its commitment to this transformative agenda, the Ministry has already increased funding allocations for care institutions, family reunification efforts, and community-based interventions. Further financial support is expected in the 2026 national budget, particularly to scale up new models of care and professionalise the role of child protection officers.
