The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has called for faster investigations and stronger institutional coordination in the high-profile child abuse case involving a girl from Anuradhapura, while urging authorities to take steps to minimise further trauma to the victim as multiple court proceedings continue.
The Caucus, chaired by Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, met in Parliament on 5 June with representatives from the Attorney General’s Department, National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), Department of Probation and Child Care Services and Sri Lanka Police to review the progress of investigations and discuss next steps.
During the meeting, the Caucus instructed relevant authorities to ensure that all investigations are conducted strictly in accordance with court orders and requested that forensic and medical reports related to the case be obtained without delay.
Given that legal proceedings linked to the victim are currently being heard in courts in Anuradhapura, Attanagalla and Dambulla, the Caucus requested the NCPA to closely monitor all three proceedings and take measures to reduce the psychological burden placed on the child through repeated involvement in separate cases.
The Attorney General’s Department also agreed to a request from the Caucus to appear before the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court to facilitate legal proceedings and strengthen coordination among State institutions involved in the case.
The Department of Probation and Child Care Services was instructed to continue monitoring matters relating to the child’s education, health and safety.
The Caucus further stressed the need for stronger coordination among law enforcement and child protection agencies handling child abuse cases and agreed to pursue future interventions aimed at improving institutional cooperation.
Members also decided to develop guidelines governing media reporting and judicial proceedings relating to child abuse cases to ensure the privacy, security and dignity of affected children are protected. A subcommittee operating under the Caucus will oversee the process and also examine legal and practical challenges arising in child abuse litigation.
Among those attending the meeting were Deputy Chairperson of Committees Hemali Weerasekara, MPs Hasara Liyanage, Lakmali Hemachandra and Sagarika Athauda, while Deputy Minister Dr. Kaushalya Ariyaratne and MPs Thushari Jayasinghe and Anushka Thilakarathne participated online.