Firm steps to keep children away from pornography

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Our responsibility is protecting the country's children. There is no decline in child exploitation in Sri Lanka. Laws alone cannot protect the children. The most dangerous destruction caused to the children's minds by Internet and mobile phones, Child Development and Women's Empowerment Minister Mrs. Sumedha G. Jayasena said.

She was addressing a media briefing held at the Government Information Department Auditorium yesterday in connection with launching a service and a hot line ( 011722177 ) to prevent children from accessing pornographic contents on the Internet through Dialog mobile phones. Minister Jayasena said that she hopes to extend the same to other mobile phone operators in future.

Minister Jayasena said that her ministry signed an MoU with Dialog Telekom to restrict children from inappropriate websites in the Internet and more MoUs will be signed with the other companies to do so in near future. She pointed out how President Mahinda Rajapaksa brought the issue of protecting children from Internet pornography before the world leaders during UN General Assembly.

NCPA Chairman Jagath Wellawatta said that it is significant that the service launched just after President Mahinda Rajapaksa pointed out the importance of combating Internet pornography which causes significant damage to the children's future during the UN General Assembly.

He said that the death of the schoolchild that occurred after falling from a bus showed the loopholes exist the child protection measures in Sri Lanka. He expressed the sympathy towards the dead child's family.

The expectation of all these measures is building a future generation with unspoiled minds and a very strong personality.

The Government cannot do this alone. All should contribute for this, he added. Supun Weerasinghe and Micheal De Soysa of Dialog Telekom PLC, officials from the NCPA and the Child Development and Women's Empowerment also spoke.