The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands, UNICEF, Child Helpline International and the 2nd Floor Youth Helpline organized the launch of the publication “the voices of children and young people” at the United Nations on November 20 th 2013. The UN Children’s Day is also celebrated on this day.
Child Helpline International, an organization dedicated to create and strengthen the national toll-free child helplines worldwide, compiled this report by gathering data from telephone records, e-mails and texts messages, over a period of ten years. This comprehensive report highlights how children and young people around the world contact helplines for support with a range of issues from family conflicts to abuse.
Addressing the gathering, H.E. Dr. Palitha Kohona highlighted how Sri Lanka has always adopted policies that are child-friendly. With two Ministries dedicated to children and youth, Dr. Kohona underlined the Government’s commitment to children and youth and their treatment as treasures and assets rather than burdens.
With The establishment of the “1-9-2-9” Child –Line by the National Child Protection Authority, Sri Lanka also became an active partner of the Child Helpline International.
The other speakers on this occasion included the Permanent Representative of Netherlands, H.E. Karel van Oosterom, Ms. Marta Santos Pais (UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children), Mr. Martin Mogwanja (Deputy Executive director of UNICEF), Ms. Jeroo Billimoria (Founder and Chair of Child Helpline International) and Mr. Philip Murphy (Co-founder of 2NDFLOOR Youth Helpline).
Sri Lanka Permanent Mission
New York
