Child abuse tops NCPA complaints' list

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Around 59 per cent of the complaints received by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) last year was related to violation of child rights.

In 2007, 56 per cent of complaints were child exploitation cases. The percentage of complaints on sexual abuse was 50 per cent in 2006 and 62 per cent in 2005, NCPA sources said.

The same sources said the oldest accused who had executed a crime on a child was a 82 year old man and the youngest who had become a victim of abuse was just a one month old infant.

Children represent over 35 per cent of the total population of Sri Lanka and there is one child per every three Sri Lankan citizens, the sources said.

The NCPA was established on January 4, 1999 under Parliament Act No. 50 as the first governmental organization dedicated to secure the rights of Sri Lankan children.