- Database upgrade still pending
- 123,732 complaints received since 2011; 43% of cases remain under investigation
- 7 provincial video units unoperational
The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has come under scrutiny after a recent audit revealed major delays and deficiencies in its handling of child abuse complaints across Sri Lanka.
The audit report states that the NCPA received 123,732 complaints regarding child abuse from 2011 to the date of the report, of which 52,922 complaints, or 43%, remain under investigation.
The auditors noted that the authority had failed to develop an effective mechanism to complete investigations before the affected children reached adulthood.
The high number of vacancies among district and regional officers, who play a critical role in addressing child abuse cases, and the absence of a proper preventive mechanism within the authority, have contributed to a significant increase in unresolved complaints.
In response, the NCPA has informed auditors that initial intervention had been provided for all complaints received from 2011 to 2023, and that all complaints related to 2011 had been finalised with the database updated.
However, complaints received since 2012 are still under investigation, indicating persistent delays in addressing ongoing cases.
The audit further highlighted that the authority had not established a formal mechanism for coordination between the Sri Lanka Police, the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, and the relevant line ministry responsible for child abuse.
This gap has left the NCPA unable to ascertain the total number of child abuse complaints across the island or monitor the progress of those complaints effectively.
In response, the NCPA stated that efforts were underway to upgrade the existing database to a national-level system, but that signing agreements and obtaining funding for these activities had been challenging.
The report also revealed that, despite Cabinet approval in 2021 to establish video evidence recording units at the provincial level, no progress had been made in seven provinces as of the report’s date.
The Southern Province Video Evidence Recording Unit, established in 2013, has been idle since 2015 due to deficiencies in technical equipment, with replacement costs estimated at Rs. 7,760,500.
Additionally, the authority has failed to maintain safe houses for child victims, denying them the accommodation facilities required under Section 2.5 of the Video Evidence Recording Guidelines issued by the Attorney General’s Department.
The NCPA explained that the Southern Province Video Evidence Recording Unit could not currently operate due to the lack of recorders and other technical requirements.
Officers recruited for the Karapitiya unit in February 2022 have been temporarily deployed to the Head Office, as operations at the provincial unit have not commenced yet.
Attempts made to contact NCPA Chairperson Preethi Inoka Ranasinghe, Director General Anoma Siriwardena, and Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj regarding the allegations in the audit report failed.