Children first - A deep dive into the National Child Protection Authority's role in child protection

Abstract

Background: Child protection is a fundamental human right and corner stone of justice and equitable society. The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), established via Parliament Act No 50 of 1998 is the central authority responsible for child protection in Sri Lanka, and plays a pivotal role in safeguarding approximately 7 million children. This report provides a comprehensive evaluation of the NCPA's performance from 2012 to 2022. Method: The methodology for this study involved a comprehensive review of available NCPA's annual reports, statistical records and the Auditor General's reports from 2012-2022. They were analyzed using a qualitative approach to identify key themes, patterns and trends related to NCPA's functions, governance, financial performance and accountability. The comparative analysis to assess changes in the NCPA's overall performance over time was evaluated against the following criteria; performance and efficiency in carrying out its mandated functions, resource allocation and utilization, coordination with local and international stakeholders, policy influence and challenges and constraints. To enhance the validity and reliability of the analysis data triangulation was employed. This involved a comparison of findings from various sources to identify consistent patterns and discrepancies. By synthesizing data from annual reports, statistical records, Auditor General's reports and insights from the Chairperson of the NCPA and other stakeholders, the report aimed to present a well-rounded assessment of the NCPA's effectiveness in fulfilling its mandated functions. Results: While the NCPA has made significant strides in child protection, this report highlights the impact assessment. Slow implementation of the National Child Protection Policy, limited impact of public awareness campaigns and training programs, lack of centralized data base to track cases were of concern. Additionally, statistical reports exhibit inconsistencies and lack vital criteria, need to strengthen data management, absence of formal inter-agency committee and data sharing processes exacerbated the issues. The limited availability of video evidence units resulted in only 1.4% of cases in 2015 and 0.6% in 2021 child abuse cases were able to utilize this crucial tool for justice. Conclusion: While the NCPA's achievements are commendable, this report identifies areas of further growth in resource allocation, interagency coordination, community outreach, monitoring and evaluation, increasing public awareness and fostering collaboration with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders will be key to addressing these challenges.