Tough laws to deal with crimes on children

by L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

Strict laws will be introduced soon to curb crimes and abuses committed on children. The laws need to be revised to cope with the increasing crime rate, said Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadde.

The draft bill has already been sent to the Attorney General. The current Child and Youth Act was implemented a few decades ago. It is not sufficient to meet the present requirements, the Minister said.

Addressing a meeting in connection with the World Children's day national ceremony which commenced on October 1 and will conclude today at Swarnapali Girls School, Anuradhapura, the Minister said the main cause of crime and abuse on children is the lack of parental love and care. "Roads and houses can be built in a few months, but it takes years to change the human mind", he said.

The Ministry aims at creating a society in which children are loved and adequately cared for. "The majority of child victims are from families where mothers had gone abroad in search of greener pastures. Mothers with children under the age of five years should not be permitted to go abroad for jobs. Such measures are necessary to protect children from endless harassment and pressures brought upon them. Degrading social, economic and cultural values have been the cause of the predicament faced by children", the Minister said.

The Department of Probation and Childcare, National Child Protection Authority, Child Care Services and social welfare organisations have joined hands to curb crimes on children. The public is called upon to report cases of child abuse and harassment to the telephone Number 1929.