New law to strengthen child protection

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

A new law to increase legal protection for children is to be introduced soon, Justice and Labour Minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, said.

The proposed Act titled Children (Judicial) Protection Bill is currently with the Legal draftsman and within a week or two it can be presented to the Parliament, said Minister Rajapakshe.

Submitted by the Justice Ministry the Bill was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers recently. This law will specify the manner in which children should be handled during judicial procedures. The law will specify how to take evidence from a child, how to treat them. And it will act in a manner that will protect the child during a judicial procedure from the very initial step, explained the Minister.

According to the new law the child can be either a victim or an accused. Still it will ensure the utmost well being of the child.

According to the international standards a child below 12 years can not be convicted for crime. Earlier it was eight but later the age limit was changed to 12.