The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has come under intense scrutiny following an audit that exposed significant delays and systemic deficiencies in its handling of child abuse complaints across Sri Lanka.
The audit report revealed that between 2011 and the present, the NCPA received a staggering 123,732 complaints related to child abuse.
However, nearly 43% of these cases—52,922 complaints—remain under investigation, highlighting a chronic backlog.
Auditors criticised the authority for failing to implement effective mechanisms to conclude investigations before the affected children reach adulthood.
A key factor contributing to these delays is a high vacancy rate among district and regional officers who are crucial to managing and resolving cases.
The report also flagged the absence of a robust preventive framework within the NCPA, which has led to a marked increase in unresolved complaints.
Moreover, the audit uncovered a glaring lack of formal coordination between the NCPA, the Sri Lanka Police, the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, and the ministry responsible for child welfare.
This lack of inter-agency collaboration has left the authority unable to accurately track the total number of child abuse complaints nationwide or monitor progress effectively.
While the NCPA told auditors that initial interventions had been made for all complaints filed between 2011 and 2023, and that cases from 2011 had been closed with database updates, complaints lodged from 2012 onwards remain unresolved—underlining persistent delays.
Further concerns were raised regarding infrastructure and resources. Despite Cabinet approval in 2021 to establish Video Evidence Recording Units at the provincial level to support child abuse investigations, no units have become operational in seven provinces.
The Southern Province’s unit, set up in 2013, has been non-functional since 2015 due to outdated equipment requiring replacement at a cost of approximately Rs. 7.76 million.
The NCPA has also failed to maintain safe houses for child victims, a critical component mandated under the Attorney General’s Department guidelines.
It admitted that the Southern Province’s unit cannot operate because of a shortage of necessary technical equipment, and officers recruited for the Karapitiya unit in 2022 remain stationed at the Head Office due to the unit’s inactivity.
The NCPA said efforts are underway to upgrade its database to a national-level system, but progress has been hampered by difficulties in securing funding and formal agreements.
The audit lays bare systemic weaknesses that undermine child protection efforts in Sri Lanka, raising urgent questions about the NCPA’s capacity to safeguard vulnerable children and address abuse effectively.
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