The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) last year recorded 9500 complaints out of over 99,000 calls received via the NCPA’s 24 hours free helpline 1929. Most complaints were from Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara Districts. Accordingly, about 32,259 child abuse cases had been recorded in Sri Lanka during the period of 2009 to 2014.

Addressing a press conference at the NCPA in Colombo, Minister Senanayake pledged to take steps to enact the Children (Judicial Protection) Bill approved by the Cabinet to provide immediate and long term solutions to children’s problems.

Newly appointed NCPA Chairperson Natasha Balendra stressed that the NCPA would function as an independent authority free of any kind of political influence.

She noted that the NCPA would no longer be directly involved in running any children’s homes as it was not within its mandate.She also said that in the coming weeks, they also intend to work with the IGP to hold meetings with police officers around the country to provide training and sensitisation on child prevention issues. She further said that their observations as to how to set up a system that would strengthen and provide more autonomy and speculation to the current children's and women's desks at the Police Stations.

Balendra explained that the Children’s (Judicial Protection) Bill would help set up a system of children’s Magistrate’s Courts which would hear all cases involving children. Balendra said they had discussed with the Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse the need for revising laws and policies.