The Parliament Children’s Caucus focused on the need to formulate a national policy to ensure the well-being of children with special needs in Sri Lanka.
Views on this regard were expressed when the Parliament Children’s Caucus met in Parliament Oct (18) under the chairmanship of its Chairperson, SJB MP Rohini Kumari Wijerathna.
The views and suggestions of the members regarding the future work of the caucus regarding the well-being of children in this country also received special attention. Accordingly, it was decided to have extensive discussions with the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and other affiliated institutions, Children and Women Bureau and representatives of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) extensive discussions on the problems and proposals related to child care, with a special focus on child care.
Various fields related to children in the country were also given attention whilst providing quality education to the entire child population, providing adequate health care, to make existing resources and officials more efficient, to identify environments before children are abused and implementing the necessary measures, ensuring access to good nutrition and creating opportunities for children to develop their potential were also looked into.
Also, it was further emphasised that it is essential to find solutions to the various problems for the children of rural, urban and plantation people separately. It was also special that the members of the caucus agreed to work with government officials and non-governmental organisations related to children with the priority of the ideas and suggestions of the provincial commissioners using new technology.
The members of the caucus who expressed their displeasure about the use of media in concerning situations related to children, focused their attention on the need to create a proper programme and policy together with the relevant minister. In addition, the need to create an awareness programme on child malnutrition was also discussed.
MP Velu Kumar, co-vice president of the Caucus, and MPs Thalatha Athukorala, Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, K. Sujith Sanjaya Perera, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Diana Gamage and Manjula Dissanayake were present at the occasion.
