The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has taken steps to introduce a national set of guidelines aimed at strengthening child protection and minimising various forms of abuse in Sri Lanka.
A media briefing to raise awareness about the proposed guidelines was held at the Department of Government Information yesterday (09).
Speaking at the event, NCPA Director, Attorney-at-Law and Sociologist Shanika Malalgoda said the Authority receives nearly 10,000 complaints related to child abuse each year.
She explained that the need for a national framework had grown amid increasing challenges to children's safety, including sexual abuse, cruelty, online threats, teenage pregnancies and drug use.
Malalgoda stressed that protecting children should be the responsibility of every citizen, adding that a lack of awareness could also lead to actions that place children's safety at risk.
Meanwhile, Senior Information Security Engineer at the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (Sri Lanka CERT), Charuka Damunupola, reported a significant rise in complaints involving online abuse of children.
He said 53 highly sensitive incidents involving children in online and digital media environments were reported in 2025, while the number had increased to 180 by November this year.
Damunupola pointed to social media exposure and the use of children's content to generate income through monetisation features as factors contributing to the growing risks.
He also noted that some parents share content featuring their children without fully understanding the potential consequences, warning that such practices could expose children to harm.
