Sri Lanka is committed to a systems-based approach to end violence against children, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated, emphasizing that child protection is not merely a sectoral concern but a national priority embedded within the country's broader development, governance, and social justice agenda.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya made these remarks while participating in the opening of the South Asia Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children (EVAC), a two-day regional forum focused on strengthening commitment, sharing progress and accelerating action to ensure every child grows up safe and free from violence in Colombo.
Convened by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), in collaboration with UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA), the World Health Organization Regional Offices for South-East Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO SEARO/EMRO), and the Office of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children (OSRSG-VAC), the conference brings together ministers, senior government officials and development partners from across the region.
Over the next two days, participating countries will exchange experiences, showcase innovative approaches and explore solutions to persistent challenges, including harmful social norms, child marriage, child labour, gaps in data and evidence, resource constraints and emerging threats such as technology-facilitated violence, abuse and exploitation, the Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement.
Addressing at the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya noted that the education system remains one of the most powerful environments for children, extending beyond its role as a place of learning to serve as a critical platform for child protection.
“The education system remains one of the most powerful environments for children. Schools are not only spaces for learning, but also critical sites for early identification of harm, psychosocial support, and safeguarding intervention. Sri Lanka continues to strengthen school-based child protection systems, including referral mechanisms, counselling services, and safeguarding protocols.”
Highlighting the importance of regional cooperation in addressing violence against children, the Prime Minister stressed that child protection challenges transcend national boundaries and require collective action, shared learning, and sustained collaboration among countries in the region.
The occasion was attended by the Secretary General of SAARC, Md. Golam Sarwar, UNICEF Representative to Sri Lanka, Emma Brigham, United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Dr. Najat Maalla M'jid, Minister of Children and Women affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Deputy Minister of the Ministry, Dr. Namal Sudarshana (M.P.) and Ministers, officials, local and international representatives.
