Sri Lanka's National Child Protection Authority has documented a rising number of complaints involving child neglect, abandonment, and abuse, receiving between 600 and 1,000 reports monthly.
The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has reported an uptick in complaints related to child maltreatment across the country. According to the authority's Director of Law Enforcement, Attorney-at-Law Sajeewani Abeykoon, the organisation is fielding between 600 and 1,000 complaints each month.
The complaints encompass a range of concerning cases, including allegations that parents or guardians have neglected or abandoned children under their care. Alongside abandonment cases, the authority is also receiving reports of both physical and psychological abuse directed at minors.
Those found guilty of such violations face serious legal consequences under Sri Lankan law. Abeykoon noted that parents or guardians convicted of child neglect or abuse offences may receive prison sentences ranging from a minimum of two years to a maximum of 10 years under the Penal Code.
The increase in reported cases suggests either a rise in child maltreatment incidents or heightened awareness and reporting of such violations among the public and relevant institutions.
