Protect our children
JUN 29 2018
The body of a six-year school-girl who had been sexually assaulted and strangled was found in a well close to her home in Kattupulam, Chulipuram in Jaffna earlier in the week.
A 22-year-old man who has allegedly confessed to the murder has been arrested by the Vaddukoddai Police and remanded.
As we reported yesterday, the suspect was arrested along with five others and produced before Mallakam Magistrate on Wednesday.
The main suspect is said to have confessed that he took the child away from her home to steal her jewellery. However, Police investigations have found that the father of the child had beaten up the main suspect and five others, about a week ago, for stealing toddy and that the murder was probably an act of revenge.
This is yet another crime against a child that has shocked the nation.
What is deeply troubling is that a child was made the victim of a dispute that occurred among adults.
But the level of violence against children is growing around the world, including Sri Lanka. Most children experience corporal punishment at home and at school. A Government study done in 2016 showed that eighty per cent of school children experience at least one form of corporal punishment. While some of these punishments are well-intentioned, current global standards decry any kind of violence against children.
Sexual violence against children in Sri Lanka is also high and in 2015, of the 12,000 child abuse cases reported to the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) nearly ten per cent consisted of sexual abuse or rape of children.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has welcomed the fact that in 2016 the Government of Sri Lanka signed up to The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, as one of twelve path-finding countries, committing to ending all forms of violence against children by 2030. Led by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs (MoWCA), and with the support of UNICEF and many NGO’s and civil society groups, in June 2017 Sri Lanka launched the National Partnership to End Violence Against Children.
Adding to the multiple actions already undertaken by the Government, on 1 October 2017, MoWCA launched a National Roadmap listing key actions planned to achieve this bold goal, according to a statement published on the UNICEF Sri Lanka website.
However, these measures would not bear fruit if they do not create a change in the attitude of the people. There should be an active framework which involves the people at grassroots level.
A few days ago, social media platforms were abuzz with videos and images of youngsters posing with a leopard that they had killed. Many condemned the attack on the animal.
But, one feels that the same enthusiasm and concern that was shown on the leopard, was missing on addressing violence against children.
Even though there was public outcry, mainly on social media platforms, it has not helped in building a comprehensive discussion on child safety and security. The involvement of the public is mostly limited to venting out on social media platforms.
It should go beyond such platforms.
The fact that children are targeted for revenge purposes is a disturbing trend which needs immediate attention.
The NCPA and such bodies also need to be proactive instead of waiting till incidents happen or an incident is reported to them.
But at the end of the day they are our children and the responsibility of protecting rests solely on each and every one of Sri Lanka’s citizens.
