Stop Child Cruelty Trust, an organization committed to ending cruelty against children, has launched the #JUSTSAYNO National campaign of awareness videos and petition. The first public live Zoom panel discussion is scheduled to be held on  July 25 (today) from 7pm onwards in collaboration with Daily Mirror Online and Lankadeepa Online. Taking part in the panel discussion along with DIG Ajith Rohana, Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana, NCPA Chairman Gayan Gallage, Journalist Achala Senevirathna and many lawyers, other experts, victims and family members. 

The failures of the Police, Judiciary System and Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) in protecting children and promoting their rights have resulted in frustrating inadequacies and the lengthy and painful progression of inquiries

Dr. Tush Wickramanayaka, Chairperson of Stop Child Cruelty Trust shared, said “Crimes against children in Sri Lanka are rising at an alarming speed, each incident more shocking than the other. We heard reports of three gruesome murders of children during the last week; a seventeen-year old girl was sexually abused and later succumbed to her death in Balangoda, a ten-year old girl was sexually abused in Puttalam and a 16-month old girl who was sexually abused died in Negombo. Therefore we, as responsible citizens of the country, must seriously debate on these issues and help find progressive solutions collectively as a national emergency.”

Sri Lanka ratified the United Nation’s Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1991. The establishment of National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), by Act No.50 of 1998 was one of the major milestones passed in the journey towards ensuring 
child protection. 

The first public live Zoom panel discussion is scheduled to be held on  July 25 (today) from 7pm onwards in collaboration with Daily Mirror Online and Lankadeepa Online

The failures of the Police, Judiciary System and Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) in protecting children and promoting their rights have resulted in frustrating inadequacies and the lengthy and painful progression of inquiries. 

By the end of 2017, there were over 17,000 cases of child abuse stalled at Attorney General’s Department dating back to a period of as long as ten years ago. This figure is believed to have gone beyond 20,000 by end of 2018. The victims have lived a life of hell tormented by the horrendous memories without any hope of justice.

In January 2018, in the concluding observations of the UNCRC on the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Sri Lanka, serious concerns were raised, at the lethargy of child protection by the Government of Sri Lanka, issuing a red alert. 

142 incidents of rape, 42 cases of serious sexual abuse and 54 cases of child abuse have been reported from various police divisions in the country during the first 15 days of 2020. The number of child abuse cases has skyrocketed to 5242 while the number of cases pertaining to sexually abused women is 1642 to date.  Since 1992 Sri Lanka has held 6 Parliamentary Elections and elected 7 Executive Presidents and 12 Prime Ministers without any significant improvement with regard to child protection.

The Facebook live Zoom discussion scheduled today will be available for viewing via Daily Mirror Online and Lankadeepa Online Facebook pages.