How to Improve Back to School Programme in Sri Lanka

Back to school programme which is also known as the catch-up programme is a great initiative by the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the Compulsory Education Policy. Yet back to school programme has not been able to yield the expected results.

Literacy Rates of Sri Lanka Do Not Reflect Quality of Education

Education is a key factor that contributes towards shaping the future generation of the country. Education does not mean the literacy rates we have achieved. Education should be the means to develop the total personality of young generation which should include initiative, creativity, discipline, team spirit, cultural values, religious values, respect and tolerance for others.

Sri Lanka boast of 92% literacy rate, 98% of the population completing primary education and 88% of the population completing secondary education in 2007 according to the 2009 Human Development Report. Yet the issues of unemployment, youth unrest, civil violence and poverty level of the country indicates that the country has not been able to deliver quality education that contributes towards total personality development.

Children are the Innocent Victims of a Divorce

Today, sitting in the courts for a final verdict of my divorce case I was feeling terrible. My throat is dry and heart is beating fast. I am feeling extremely guilty. It is not because of a failed marriage or social stigmatisation associated with being a divorced woman but because of making my son an innocent victim of divorce. Now it is too late to reverse the decision. Me and my ex-husband have made a grave mistake. Here I am sharing my mistake with you all as I don’t want any other child to be denied the right to fully enjoy family life due to mistakes parents make without proper foresight.

Why is the nuclear family important? Can a single parent fulfil the role of both parents? How can we prevent children being innocent victims of a divorce? How a Single Parent could contribute towards protecting the right to family life of the child are some of the issues addressed in this article.

Does all Children have Equal Access to Education in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka boasts about the free education system in the country and high levels of literacy rates. No doubt they are great achievements. It is not only free access to education institutions including Universities that have contributed towards achievement of high levels in the Human Development Index, free text books, free uniforms, free mid-day meal for children in primary school, IT facilities and recreation facilities in schools, catch up classes are some of the initiatives to promote free quality education that we should appreciate.

Yet, does this education system ensure equal access to education for all children?

A Web Platform for Child Rights Activists

Child Rights in Practice: Bringing Child Rights to Life is a great resource for all child rights activists. Through this user friendly, interactive web portal you can join or develop your own group on child rights, join forums, share videos, photos, events, news, chat and develop networks.

Child rights activists, check out this portal, join and contribute towards promoting and protecting child rights…. http://www.childrightsinpractice.org/

We Need to Rescue Child Sex Workers in Sri Lanka

A child would never want to be a sex worker, if he or she had an option. It is the most margnialized and vulnerable children who become trafficked  as sex workers. Child sex workers do not have any hope about their futures. They dont have a chance to enjoy childhood. Life for a child sex worker is full of suffering.  Addressing issues of child sex workers is extremely risky and life threatening. Yet the children who are working in the sex industry badly need a helping hand to overcome the worst form of exploitation they are currently experiencing.

Is Institutionalization of Street Children the Best Option?

In August 2009, the Government of Sri Lanka announced a program on rehabilitating street children by institutionalizing all the children of the streets. Recent study carried out by Save the Children on Children on the Move in Hambantota District clearly pointed out that children are against being institutionalized. They want to live with their family.

Is all child work bad?

All forms of child work is not bad. It is only the severe forms of child work which is considered as child labour could have dangerous and negative implications for children.

Is Abortion Wrong?

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo, resulting in or caused by its death (Dutt, T and Matthews, M.P.: 1998)

According to the Sri Lankan law, abortion is permitted only if there is a threat to woman’s life. It is not permitted if the pregnancy was caused due to rape, if there are fetal defects, reasons of physical and mental heath, socio-economic factors and on request. (Wikipedia: 2010)

By performing an abortion, the right to life of the fetus is denied. But in many a cases not allowing to perform an abortion deny the right of the woman to take decisions that relate to her body.

Introduction to Child Protection Work

Child protection means, creating a suitable and optimal environment where children can live without any physical and mental abuse and/or pain, by eliminating or reducing the factors that harm children.

Holistic protection and development of the child, (which includes, physical, mental, social and cultural aspects) are focused in child protection work.

Why should we work on protecting rights of street children?

A child take onto streets as he or she has no other option. Street children are one of the most vulnerable and oppressed segments of the society. It is the fault of the social system that had made the child so vulnerable. Street children are the most visible result of the increasing gap between the rich and the poor both in the North and the South. (Beers, V.H. 1996)

The vulnerabilities and problems experienced by street children are immense. These include separation from family, homelessness, lack of identification papers, lack of education, poverty, exploitation, the worst forms of labour, abuse, health issues, coercion, control by adult gangs and conflict with the law.

Who are Street Children?

A street child is defined as “any girl or boy who has not reached adulthood, for whom the street (in the broadest sense of the word, including unoccupied dwellings, wasteland, etc.) has become her or his habitual abode and/or sources of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, supervised or directed by responsible adults” by the Inter NGO Programme for Street Children and Street Youth. (Inter-NGO, 1985).

Juvenile Justice System in Sri Lanka

Juvenile justice is the criminal law applicable to children and young people, who are determined as not old enough to be held responsible for criminal acts.  Juvenile justice system in Sri Lanka as in any other country try to rehabilitate children who are under the perview of juvanile justice law rather than punishing them.

National Laws to Protect Rights of Children in Sri Lanka

National law in Sri Lanka has moved away from a position of exclusive faith in criminal processes to protect children to a more direct child- or victim-focused protective approach at the legislative and conceptual level (GOSL, 2008). National laws in Sri Lanka that cover child rights are as follows-