News
National media guidelines for reporting on children ready
A national media guidelines code has been prepared to ensure the dignity, privacy and confidentiality of children are protected when matters concerning them are reported. The matter was discussed when the committee, chaired by Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, met in Parliament on September 22.
The proposed guidelines seek to ensure that the best interests of children are given priority while maintaining accuracy and fairness in reporting and preventing the unnecessary exposure of children and their families through print, electronic and social media.
The committee also stressed the need for media organisations to safeguard the dignity and rights of children with disabilities when reporting on matters concerning them.
The recruitment and training of female police officers proficient in Tamil to strengthen Women and Children’s Units in Tamil-speaking areas were also discussed. The move is aimed at addressing language barriers faced by women and children, including in Jaffna, when making complaints to the authorities.
The committee also considered introducing a centralised information system to regulate and monitor children’s homes across the country. It stressed the need to hold the management of such institutions accountable for preventing violence against children.
Meanwhile, the committee discussed issues concerning mothers with children below five years of age leaving the country for foreign employment. A technical committee is expected to make a final decision on the matter.
The possibility of introducing a programme to reimburse educational expenses incurred for the children of women employed overseas was also considered.
Plans to introduce common standards for all preschools by 2027 and establish a common training and certification system for preschool teachers were also discussed, along with measures to address infrastructure shortcomings in preschools.
The committee further focused on expediting the issuance of judicial medical and Government Analyst’s reports to minimise delays in child abuse trials, addressing staff shortages at the Attorney General’s Department and establishing a special mechanism for the speedy hearing of child abuse cases.
Legal amendments required to prohibit corporal punishment of children were also discussed.
Deputy Minister of Women and Child Affairs Dr. Namal Sudarshana, other Deputy Ministers, MPs and officials of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs participated in the meeting.
News
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 to purchase four (04) automated passenger clearance gates for Bandaranayake International Airport.
In addition, it is expected to extend the automated passenger clearance gates facility so far given only to the Sri Lankans
parallel to the e – passport issuance system to be introduced in the year 2027 also to the foreigners who travel to and from this country.
Furthermore, considering also the number of air passengers rapidly increasing with the fast – forwarding business and tourism field, the appropriateness to increase the total automated passenger clearance gates up to twelve (12) in number has been recognized.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers, approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to initiate the procurement and installation of 12
automated passenger clearance gates altogether with the already approved four (04) and another eight (08) automated passenger clearance gates adhering to the formal procurement procedure
Based on the observations submitted by the Task Force on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing for Terrorism, approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 18.12.2024 to amend the Trust Ordinance No. 9 of 1917 including amendments proposed by the Financial
Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, clearance of the Attorney General has been granted for the Trust (Amendment) Draft Bill formulated by the Legal Draftsman.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Justice and National Integration
to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby, submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Action was taken to provide a fuel relief for the fuel consumers during the months of April, May and June of 2026 to redress by minimizing the impact caused to the day today life of the citizens of this country as well as the entire economy due to the price hike of petroleum fuel in the global market resulting from the war situation in the Middle East.
Government mediation is essential for minimizing the impact on the day to today life of citizens in this country due to that war situation not being ended further. Therefore, it has been planned to redress on the sale price for Auto Diesel and Industrial Diesel for a period of 03 months by the Government to provide relief to the public as well as to maintain the prices at a bearable level to the consumers without escalating the fuel prices in this country compared to the escalation of fuel prices
in the international market.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to
allocate provisions subject to the monthly limitations respectively as rupees 15 billion for the month of October, rupees 13.5 billion for the month of November and rupees 12.15 billion for the month of December to provide the said relief
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Draft Bill for amending the Trust Ordinance
Implementing further relief programme to Public sffected by the Middle East conflict situation
Establishment of a Spectrum Management and Monitoring System and a Quality of Service and Quality of Experience System for the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka
Appointment of a Committee for the Restitution of Sri Lankan Cultural Heritage Held Abroad
Ten-Year National Action Plan on the Social Protection Sector (2026–2035)
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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