Sri Lanka recorded over 15,000 reports of child abuse in 2024, a figure that officials say represents only the "tip of the iceberg." Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Saroja Paulraj, has called for urgent and systemic reform, declaring that violence against children has no place in Sri Lanka.

Speaking on the issue, Minister Paulraj highlighted that the Government is rolling out a series of reforms under the National Policy Framework 2025 to strengthen the child protection system. 

The initiatives include creating child-sensitive investigation mechanisms, improving coordination between agencies, and increasing professional capacity in the sector.

The Government has also made key pledges, including a commitment to ban corporal punishment by mid-2025 and to promote safe schools. 

Further budgetary support is planned in the 2026 national budget to professionalize child protection officers and expand the new model of care. 

The minister emphasized the need for holistic and compassionate care for children, not just bureaucratic processes.