New laws to ensure children’s safety and well-being

Parents must listen to their children

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Daily News interviewed Child Development and Women’s Empowerment Minister Sumedha G. Jayasena on the Universal Children’s Day which falls today.

Q - As the Minister who is responsible for Sri Lankan children how are you going to celebrate the Universal Children’s Day ?

A - This year we are going to celebrate the Universal Children’s Day on a grand scale under the theme of `Let us make children’s world beautiful by listening to them’. The National ceremony will take place at Mahanama Vidyalaya, Monaragala under the patronage of Education Minister Susil Premajayantha. Last year it was held in Anuradhapura. A flag day has also been organised and the first flag will be pinned on President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

A three day children’s camp will be held with the participation of about 800 children from Ampara, Monaragala, Hambantota and Badulla districts. Ministers, professionals and scholars will stay in the camp with the children. A Day Against Torturing Children will be declared on October 4.

This is a significant landmark in the Ministry’s work to ensure the safety and well-being of children. Cabinet approval has already been given to declare this day and the main objective of declaring a specific day against torturing children is preventing all types of torture against children.

Q - What is the progress achieved by your Ministry in connection with ensuring safety and well-being of Sri Lankan children ?

A - There is a National Child Development Fund. Children’s welfare is being ensured through this. Malnourished school children are being provided with a glass of milk. Monthly a payment of Rs.360 is granted to all malnourished children. If there are two malnourished children in one family, they are entitled to Rs.720/-.

Every year the Government allocates Rs.500 million for this. The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) and the centres run by it look after street children. Children’s societies are now being set up at National level.

Arrangements have also been made to ensure the safety and well-being of children through upgrading the living standards of their families. For example toilet facilities will be provided for 50 families with children.

There is a village in the Monaragala district without a single toilet. Giving a glass of milk for malnourished children also helps to upgrade the living standards of farmers. The ministry buys one litre of fresh milk for Rs.60/-. Steps have been taken to develop villages at electorate level.

At present there are a lot of vacancies in both State owned and private children’s homes. There are several children’s homes run by the State and Non Governmental Organisations.

There are a large number of vacancies in these homes. There is a very long waiting list of parents who are waiting to adopt a child from a Sri Lankan children’s home. This shows the rapid development, especially the social development that has taken place in Sri Lanka during the past few years.

Q - What are the steps taken to look after the children who are affected by LTTE attacks ?

A - Children affected by LTTE terrorism will be taken care of the ministry. About 50 scholarships will be given to them. Among them there are children who suffered when a bus bomb went off at Monaragala killing many passengers. There is a special unit set up at Vavuniya to attend the welfare of children and women coming from uncleared areas. There are officials from this Ministry, NCPA, health and education ministries there to attend to their needs.

A survey on war affected children has been done in the Eastern Province and it will be done in the Northern Province soon after the Armed Forces clear the province. This has been done through the Probation and Child Care Services Department with the assistance of UNICEF and some other NGOs. This data will immensely help the ministry to carry out its welfare work.

Q - Why do children face problems today more than they did in the past ?

A - Today the parents do not have adequate time to listen to their children. They leave for work leaving their children with servants. The children seek love from outsiders because they never get a chance to be with their parents and spend time with them. The parents are ignorant and do not see the importance of spending time with their children or listening to them.

Due to this situation children fall into various troubles and they are being subjected to exploitation. The children who do not receive protection and care from their parents watch porn at home or are being forced to do various illegal and anti social activities by others.

The rat race of parents have put children into a deep trouble. Parents should allocate adequate time to listen to their children. The Ministry or the Government alone cannot look after the country’s children.

Q - What is the progress of the investigation conducted in connection with 30 school girls in Badulla becoming pregnant ?

A - This is not an isolated incident that took place only in the Badulla district. This is a plague that has spread all over Sri Lanka affecting almost all female school children. Children are being raped by their own fathers, grandfathers, brothers and relations. This happens often when the mothers go abroad as housemaids.

They are being raped by organised gangs with the support of three wheeler drivers. About 12 per cent of Sri Lankan female school children become pregnant due to this situation.

They do not receive sex education. Some of these raped children become prostitutes when they grow up. When I tried to bring death penalty only for the convicts who kill/rape children and women, it was sabotaged by various persons and groups especially so called human rights activists and human rights organisations.

We need to legalise abortion when it comes to pregnancies which occur due to rape. This can save innocent lives of child mothers. A child cannot be a mother and a child at the same time. We have to let a mother undergo a legal abortion when doctors discover that she is carrying an abnormal baby.

The permanently disabled child has to suffer because he/she has to depend on another person until his/her death. This saves the mother’s life who is going to suffer until death. This will save innocent lives of women who seek the service of `clinics’ which perform illegal abortions.

Abortions should not be legalised as a whole. What we require here is to save the lives of children who are being raped and mothers who are going to suffer a lifetime taking care of permanently disabled children.

This is not something isolated or something that we can ignore. Only the sufferers and their loved ones know the pain. I am very happy to say that several gynaecologists have extended their support towards the Ministry to provide sex education for children in vulnerable districts.

We have to look after the children and women in Sri Lanka. To do this we need laws. But the Sri Lankan public will be consulted and asked to submit their opinions before making any amendments to the existing law or bringing in new laws. The most important thing is public opinion.

Child Development and Women’s Empowerment Minister Mrs. Sumedha G. Jayasena.