Child protection momentum building as Government of Sri Lanka commits to bold action

The global drive to end violence against children is gaining momentum, with Sri Lanka one of the latest countries stepping up to tackle the issue.

Children’s rights to be protected from violence are enshrined in law and policies in Sri Lanka

It is fantastic that Sri Lanka has joined the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children as a pathfinder country, to lead the way in promoting the rights of all children to be free from violence.

A Government report, which Development Pathways contributed to, sets out the next steps the country must take in order to end violence against children, including pinpointing when they are at greatest risk.

This document identifies the strong foundations for progress on child protection, with children’s rights to be protected from violence enshrined in international commitments and national laws and policies. It notes the achievements to date and flags the issues to be tackled, including corporal punishment and sexual violence.

A national partnership has been convened to co-ordinate action on child protection. The report highlights how this will need better evidence on the settings and types of children that are most vulnerable, in order to help focus interventions. With this in mind, it recommends a national study to unpack the trends and to pinpoint what lies behind violence against children.

Following a spirited campaign to include child protection improvements in the sustainable development goals, the world now needs to follow this up with action. A report like this from the Government of Sri Lanka is an important first step of a journey and we are looking forward to seeing progress Sri Lanka makes as a pathfinder country.

The Government’s report, Preventing Violence Against Children in Sri Lanka: Country Discussion Paper, and a policy brief, based on the paper, are both available to view below.

Originally published at Development Pathways.