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Thursday Aug 21, 2025
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THE Government has decided to roll out a new national program to strengthen child protection, cracking down on child labour and raising public awareness on children’s rights.
The initiative spearheaded by the Child and Women Affairs Ministry was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers at their meeting on Tuesday, and will take effect from 1 July.
Speaking at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the move will focus on strict enforcement of existing laws and a broad based public awareness campaign to curb the exploitation of children in public spaces and hazardous work environments.
“The program follows growing concern over the visible presence of children begging or selling goods on the streets, a practice that often reflects deeper issues of trafficking, poverty and exploitation,” he said.
Under the Children’s Rights Ordinance, a child is defined as, any individual under 18 years of age. As per the latest statistics available, children represent 30% of Sri Lanka’s total population.
Dr. Jayatissa said the new directive will prohibit children under the age of 16 years from being engaged in street begging or vending, whether accompanied by adults or alone. In addition, employing children aged between 16 and 18 in dangerous or exploitative forms of labour including domestic work as housemaids will also be banned.
“These categories of employment are identified as particularly hazardous due to the lack of oversight, risk of abuse and long-term psychological harm,” he added.
The Ministry plans to launch a comprehensive public education drive alongside the enforcement measures, via public awareness of the legal implications and social consequences of child exploitation.
The proposal to this effect submitted by Child and Women Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
