Immediate steps should be taken to prevent media exposure of child victims and accused – Parliamentary Caucus for Children

Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Children Rohini Kumari Wijerathna emphasized that many social problems have arisen due to the exposure of child victims and the child accused, through the media and therefore immediate measures should be taken to prevent it.

The Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment and its affiliates such as the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, the National Child Protection Authority and the Ministry of Mass Media and the institutions operating under it and the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, Independent Television Network Ltd, Lake House and Government Information Department were also called before the caucus.

It was pointed out by the Members of Parliament that the exposure of the identities of children through the media, especially in cases of child molestation and child abuse, has a great impact on the lives of the children concerned.

Officials of the state media indicated that their agencies follow a standard when disseminating news related to children. Accordingly, the Caucus membership agreed that all media organizations should be called for the next meeting to discuss this further.