Child protection a national priority, PM tells South Asian ministerial conference

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By Editor_1
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya with SAARC Secretary-General Muhammad Golam Sarwar, UNICEF Sri Lanka Representative Emma Brigham, UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children Najat Maalla M'jid, Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj and Deputy Minister Namal Sudarshana at the inauguration of the two-day South Asian Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children (EVAC) opened in Colombo on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) - ENCL

COLOMBO – Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya said protecting children must be treated as a national priority that cuts across development, governance and social justice policies, as Sri Lanka hosted a regional ministerial conference focused on ending violence against children.

The two-day South Asian Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children (EVAC) opened in Colombo on Tuesday (23), bringing together ministers, senior government officials, international organizations and development partners from across the region to strengthen cooperation and accelerate efforts to protect children from violence, abuse and exploitation.

The conference is jointly organized by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), UNICEF’s Regional Office for South Asia, the World Health Organization’s South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean Regional Offices, and the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Violence Against Children.

Addressing the opening session, Prime Minister Amarasuriya reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to advancing comprehensive and evidence-based approaches to child protection.

“Protecting children is not merely a sectoral issue; it is a national priority embedded within our broader framework of development, governance and social justice,” she said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the critical role of schools in safeguarding children, noting that educational institutions serve not only as centres of learning but are also “important spaces for early identification of harm, psychosocial support and protective interventions”.

She noted that Sri Lanka continues to strengthen school-based child protection mechanisms, including referral systems, counselling services and safeguarding protocols aimed at improving the welfare and safety of children.

The conference is expected to focus on a range of challenges affecting children across South Asia, including harmful social practices, child marriage, child labour, gaps in data collection, resource constraints and emerging threats linked to digital technologies.

Delegates will also examine the growing risks posed by technology-facilitated violence, online abuse and exploitation, which have become increasingly prominent concerns across the region.

Emphasizing the need for collective action, the Prime Minister said child protection challenges transcend national borders and require stronger regional cooperation, knowledge-sharing and coordinated responses.

Over the course of the conference, participating countries will exchange experiences, showcase progress and discuss practical measures to strengthen child protection systems and ensure safer environments for children.

Among those attending the event were SAARC Secretary-General Muhammad Golam Sarwar, UNICEF Sri Lanka Representative Emma Brigham, UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children Najat Maalla M’jid, Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj and Deputy Minister Namal Sudarshana, alongside local and international delegates.

-ENCL

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