White Balloon protest against child abuse

A silent protest – ‘White Balloon Day’ will be held from 5.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. today (September 20) at Independence Square in Colombo as a public protest against the spate of child abuse in Sri Lanka.

It is organised by Women in Management (WIM) under the theme ‘Protect Children’,. The protest aims at bringing nationwide focus to the following objectives:

• Educating children on safety.
• Inclusion of sex education in the school syllabus
• Teaching boys and girls to respect each other.
• Formulating laws to protect children inside their homes
• Death Sentence for child abusers.
• Educating women on their role of ‘womanhood’ and ‘motherhood’

Chairperson of Women in Management Sulochana Segera said, “This is a silent demonstration and we will be invite everyone, especially men, since a lot of men have requested WIM to organise this. Participants are requested to wear black and hold a white balloon. It is our endeavor to bring about awareness and this is only a first step”.

“Members of the public are invited along with their families and friends. We never know what tomorrow has in store for our own children.

If we do not make our voices heard today, there will be more such victims tomorrow. Please join us in the name of humanity,” she added.