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UNICEF: Devastating crisis for children in SL is a cautionary tale for South Asia

Published

3 years ago

2022/08/29

“As the economic crisis continues to rattle Sri Lanka, it is the poorest, most vulnerable girls and boys who are paying the steepest price,” said George Laryea-Adjei, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, after visiting Sri Lanka.

“Sri Lanka, a country normally known for its rapid economic growth and booming tourism, is experiencing its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. Families are skipping regular meals as staple foods become unaffordable. Children are going to bed hungry, unsure of where their next meal will come from – in a country which already had South Asia’s second highest rate of severe acute malnutrition.”

“Almost half of children in Sri Lanka already require some form of emergency assistance. The education of 4.8 million children, already severely hampered by two years of interrupted learning, is at risk as school attendance continues to be jeopardized. Children education is being hindered by the current crisis in many ways—children no longer get the warm and nutritious meal that they used to have before the crisis, they lack basic stationery, and their teachers struggle with transportation.”

“More reports are already emerging of increase in abuse, exploitation and violence against children due to the mounting economic pressure. There are already over 10,000 children in institutional care in Sri Lanka, mainly as a result of poverty. Such institutions are not the best place for a child to grow up in, as they lack the bond of a family. Unfortunately, the current crisis is pushing more and more families to take their children to these institutions as they cannot afford to provide for them, including feeding.”

“If the current trend continues, hard-earned progress for children in Sri Lanka is at risk of being reversed and in some cases, erased permanently.”

“UNICEF has been in Sri Lanka for over 50 years. With the support of partners, we are distributing education supplies, providing meals to pre-school children and badly needed cash transfers to pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.”

“But as the crisis persists, much more is needed.”

“Children need to be placed squarely at the heart of the solution as the country works to resolve the crisis. Continuity of learning must be ensured for girls and boys of all ages, so they can prepare for their future and are shielded from the threats of child labour, exploitation and gender-based violence. Central and primary health services must be prioritized, to protect women and children against life-threatening diseases and malnutrition.”

“What I saw in Sri Lanka is a caution for other countries in South Asia.”

“Acute economic precarity and inflation across South Asia is poised to further threaten the lives of children – in a region which was already home to one fifth of the world’s extreme poor and profound hardships and inequities impacting children’s health, learning and safety, and in a region which was severely impacted by COVID-19.”

“If we do not act now to protect children against the worst effects of the global economic downturn, the children of the world’s most populated region will be plunged further into poverty – and their health, nutrition, learning and safety compromised.”

“We cannot let children pay the price for crises not of their making. We must act today to secure their futures tomorrow.”

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Govt. to set up special police unit for cybercrime

Published

7 mins ago

2026/02/9

Thilina Walpola

Minister Ananda Wijepala delares open the newly constructed Polpitiya Police Station, in Hatton, in the presence of IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya last Firday.

Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala on Friday (06) said the government had decided to establish a new police division, dedicated to combating cybercrime in Sri Lanka, amid a sharp rise in technology-related offences.

The Minister made these remarks at the opening ceremony of the Polpitiya Police Station.

He said that between 23 and 25 cybercrime complaints were reported daily, describing the figure as alarmingly high and underscoring the need for specialised law enforcement responses.

Wijepala said steps were being taken to equip the Police Department with modern technology, expertise and upgraded investigative capacity to effectively detect and resolve cyber-related crimes.

He added that the government’s broader objective was to transform the Sri Lanka Police into an efficient, professional and corruption-free institution, noting that sustained efforts were under way to achieve this goal.

The Minister further said measures had been introduced to create opportunities for capable officers to advance within the service, while mechanisms were in place to remove officers found guilty of misconduct.

News

Prisons overflowing: 40,000 in facilities meant for only 10,500

Published

7 mins ago

2026/02/9

Thilina Walpola

Former Prisons Department Spokesman, Lion Jagath Chandana Weerasinghe, has highlighted severe overcrowding in Sri Lanka’s prisons, noting that 40,000 inmates are being held in facilities designed for just 10,500.

He revealed this at a seminar held at Yatagala Mahavidyalaya, in Uragasmanhandiya, organised by the former Commissioner of Prisons and Leader of District 306 of the International Lions Club.

“Among the 40,000 prisoners and suspects, 66 are children. There are also 806 convicts on death row, including 18 women, held in condemned cells. Around 2,000 women, suspected of murder, robbery, and drug offences, are on remand. Most detainees are uneducated, and many are illiterate. Tragically, the victims of this situation are often young men and women. Even the son of a senior Education Administrative Service official is serving a term for a drug offence,” he said.

Weerasinghe warned that children were at risk of being drawn into anti-social activities by organised gangs. He urged parents to instil social values in their children during their formative years to help build a safer and better society.

The event was attended by religious and community leaders, including Ven. Galagama Sudira Thera, Chairman of Karandeniya Pradeshiya Sabha Saman Kumara Yatagala, Principal of Yatagala Mahavidyalaya Thushara Karunaratne, President of Uragasmanhandiya Lions Club Lion Dr. Hasitha Wijewardene, Commander of Ahungalle STF Camp A.R.T.A Amarasinghe, and local residents.

News

Krisantha Nissanka appointed President at OUSL Alumni inauguration

Published

7 mins ago

2026/02/9

Thilina Walpola

Krisantha Nissanka with the Executive Committee of the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) Alumni Association

The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) Alumni Association was formally inaugurated on 27 January, 2026, at the OUSL Auditorium in Nawala, Nugegoda, marking a new chapter in alumni engagement at the national university.

At the inaugural meeting, Krisantha Nissanka, Attorney-at-Law and prominent alumnus, was appointed President of the Association.

Nissanka’s engagement with education spans both school and university spheres. An alumnus of Wesley College, he later served as a teacher at the institution and was elected President of the Teachers’ Guild of Wesley College, representing educators on professional and welfare matters. He also contributed as Editor of the Past Teachers’ Newsletter, sustaining dialogue among former members of the teaching staff.

At the Open University of Sri Lanka, he served as President of the Students’ Union and was elected to the Faculty Board and the Senate Sub-Committee on Academic Matters for three consecutive years, where he actively advocated for academic standards, student rights, and institutional accountability.

During this period, he published the magazine Vivurtha and undertook the Sinhala translation and publication of the Lima Declaration on Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy, making global academic governance principles accessible to local audiences.

Following graduation, he was elected Secretary of the Law Graduates’ Association of OUSL on multiple occasions and organised alumni gatherings over many years. He is also a regular participant in televised legal education programmes, contributing to “Law, Land and Liberty” on Derana 24.