Just over 140 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 in the first 15 days of 2020.
Stop Child Cruelty Trust said this number has skyrocketed to 5242 cases of child abuse and 1642 cases of sexual abuse of women to date.
The Trust said that by the end of 2017, there were over 17,000 cases of child abuse stalled at the Attorney General’s Department dating back as long as ten years. This figure is believed to have risen over 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.
Stop Child Cruelty Trust (www.stopchildcruelty.com), an organization committed to ending cruelty to children has launched the #JUSTSAYNO National campaign of awareness videos, petition and first public live Zoom discussion via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stopchildcruelty to be held on 25th July 2020 from 7pm onwards.
The public debate will be attended by Ajith Rohana, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana, Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), Gayan Gallage, Journalist, Achala Senevirathna, Lawyer and host of other experts, victims and family members.
“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 death in Balangoda, a ten year old girl was seriously sexually abused in Putlam and a 16 month old girl was sexually abused to death in Negombo. Therefore, we, as responsible citizens of the country must seriously debate these issues and help find progressive solutions collectively as a national emergency”, Dr. Tush Wickramanayaka, Chairperson of Stop Child Cruelty Trust said.
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 achieved towards ensuring child protection.
The failures of Police, Judiciary System and Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) in protecting children and promoting their rights have resulted in frustrating inadequacies and lengthy and painful progression of inquiries, Stop Child Cruelty Trust said.
Since 1992 Sri Lanka has held 6 Parliamentary Elections and elected 7 Executive Presidents and 12 Prime Ministers without any significant improvement in child protection.
Facebook live Zoom discussion on 25th July 2020 from 7pm onwards. Visit https://www.facebook.com/stopchildcruelty