Sri Lanka's National Child Protection Authority received 108,581 complaints related to child abuse between 2015 and 2025, the Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Saroja Savithri Paulraj, told parliament on Thursday, in figures that underscore the scale of child abuse on the island and the strain it places on the justice system.
She was responding to a question raised by the Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa, under Standing Order 27/2. The minister said that, as of 30 April this year, 4,421 child abuse cases were pending before the High Courts, with indictments already filed against the accused.
The National Child Protection Authority is working with 47 Police Child and Women Protection Bureaus, through the Police Children and Women Abuse Prevention Division, to accelerate the hearing and conclusion of these cases, she said.
The authority received a further 5,523 complaints involving children in the first six months of 2026, between 1 January and 30 June. These included 1,100 complaints of child cruelty, 60 of aggravated sexual abuse, 213 of sexual harassment, 99 of unlawful abduction and 100 relating to the commercial sexual exploitation of children. A further 82 concerned child labour, 40 teenage pregnancies and five child marriages, while 112 involved cyber violence against children and 13 involved attempted suicide by children.
As part of efforts to strengthen the protection of child victims, the minister said authorities were considering recording video evidence from children in safe and non-intimidating environments, reducing the need for them to appear in court. The recorded evidence would then be presented during legal proceedings.
Discussions are underway with the Ministry of Health and Mass Media and other stakeholders to identify suitable locations for nine provincial video evidence recording units.
The authority said the figures underscored the continuing need to strengthen child protection mechanisms and ensure timely legal action against perpetrators.
Paulraj, of the governing National People's Power, made history in the 2024 general election as the first Tamil MP elected from the Matara District and the Southern Province.
