President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired a pre‑budget discussion at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (20), focusing on the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs. 

The meeting reviewed the progress of projects implemented under the 2026 budget and examined proposals for the upcoming 2027 allocations.

Officials presented updates on recurrent and capital expenditures carried out by the Sri Lanka Women’s Bureau, the National Commission on Women, the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development, the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, and the National Child Protection Authority.

The President also evaluated the progress of key programs, including institutional care and guardianship, living allowances for street children, nutritional food allowances for pregnant mothers, morning meals for preschool children, and the ‘Guru Abhimani’ allowance scheme for preschool teachers. 

He stressed that the nutritional food allowance for pregnant mothers must be implemented under strict supervision to ensure its intended goal of improving maternal nutrition, rather than becoming another cash‑grant project.

Progress of the monthly allowance program for children orphaned by Cyclone Ditwah was also reviewed, with the President emphasizing the need for swift disbursement to affected children. 

Discussions further covered the child protection program under the National Child Protection Authority, aimed at identifying and rescuing vulnerable children. 

The President highlighted the importance of a proper data system, noting that 2027 budget allocations would be based on accurate data. (Newswire)

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Recent operations conducted by the Sri Lanka Police in collaboration with the National Child Protection Authority have identified 21 at-risk children across several districts, including Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Ratnapura, Galle, and Matara. 

The children had been placed in state protective custody in line with a new program launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs to intensify the enforcement of existing child protection laws. 

According to the ministry, these efforts target the exploitation of children in hazardous circumstances such as street begging, trading, and domestic labour.

In preparation for nationwide implementation, a Cabinet memorandum has been submitted outlining the urgent need to approve the enforcement of these laws from July 1, 2025.

Urging the public to act as partners in safeguarding the nation’s children, the ministry encouraged anyone with information regarding children in dangerous or exploitative situations to contact:

• The 1929 Child Helpline
• The Police Children & Women’s Bureau via the 109 Emergency Hotline
• Any local police station
• Field officers attached to the Ministry through Divisional and District Secretariats (Newswire)

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