End corporal punishment in Sri Lanka: Vision 2020

ECP2020 is a special campaign designed to end corporal punishment (physical harm and violence) in Sri Lankan schools. This will be launched on 1 September. The Campaign will highlight the dangers of physical harm meted out to school children and the severe psychological consequences they could face in adulthood. Training of all personnel in alternative disciplinary procedures and frank measures of upholding the current legislature to protect children is the pinnacle of the campaign.

In the past, Sri Lanka had promulgated laws and issued Education Ministry Circulars to prohibit corporal punishment in schools. In 1991 Sri Lanka ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). But the problem still goes on unabated. Several victims have suffered grave physical harm and some have even been hospitalised. In February 2018 UNCRC issued a red alert to Sri Lanka for failing to ban Corporal Punishment.

The ECP 2020 Campaign will focus on ‘The Pentagon Proposal’ inviting five key stakeholders responsible for child protection to work collectively to ECP. The Proposal will be handed over to the President, relevant Ministries and Institutions. The Campaign will begin with an online petition and collection of signatures and a dedicated march to which everyone will be invited to participate.

The ECP 2020 Campaign is organised by Stop Child Cruelty together with the Presidential Secretariat and the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute and is supported by leading personalities as Patrons, as well as an Alliance of Professionals. The website www.stopchildcruelty.com will give details of this landmark initiative.