A Proposal of Law Reform for the Prevention of Children Being Used for Begging by Adults in Streets of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The rate of children being used for unlawful activities by adults has increased rapidly in many fields. Using children for begging on streets by an adult or a guardian to earn money has now become a common practice. On the other hand there is no law specifically to prevent the children from being used for begging in the streets by adults. Hence the research is to demonstrate the current impact of such activities on children in the urban areas of Colombo and to identify the protection plans taken by government towards the safety of these children. The primary objective will be to determine the reasons behind introducing a new legal reform. The research will follow a qualitative method; a semi structured interview with the victims from selected areas of Colombo city and a cross sectional study of a structured interview with the state departments and relevant authorities in relation to protection of street children. The research will put forward recommendations to protect these children and stop them from being used for begging. The reform will be affected with the idea of preventing children from facing violence, abuse, and stopping their valuable lives from being wasted on the streets. Sri Lanka as a developing nation is in need of closing such loopholes through the implementation of reforms. A proper plan of implementation and operative methods of data analysis can generate favourable responses to justify the introduction of the proposed law reforms to Sri Lanka which can ultimately lead to the protection of the rights of children. Therefore the research recommends introducing law reforms in order to take action against women and men who use children involuntarily for the purpose of begging in the streets. Instead they could be directed for institutional care or to remain in the safe hands of a guardian where they will have equal access to rights.