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ECONOMIC
REVIEW
SAVITH R GOONASE PRIYANI SOYSA
WIMALA DE SILVA
| LORNA DEWARAU
SUMANA SAPARAN TYRRELL COORAY GAMINI JAYAKURU W. P.N. K. GAMAGEN H. L. HEMACHANDR
O
LANKAS
A People's Bank Publication
 
 
 

THE GULF CRISIS 8. THE LANKAN ECONOMY
ARIYA ABEYSING HE

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Overview
 

L. H andra deals with the problem of education and points out that though much has been achieved in this area we still have far to go before all our children can really have access to a good education

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Cia is an asset. Children are the future generation. This month 70 heads of state got together to discuss the problems facing world's children. The main purpose of this summit, organized by the UNICEF, was to look into the problems affecting children all Over the World and findsolutions to these problems.
Many adults are unaware that children also have rights. Though child labour, child prostitution & child delinquency are more Common in the Third World such phenomena are not unknown in the developed World either. To solve or minimize these problems, on 20th November 1989, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The provisions of the Convention apply to four main areas of children's rights:
Survival - The first specific right cited in the Convention is the inherentright to life. States must ensure "to the maximum possible, the Survival and Development of the child". (the right of access to health Care Services, to an adequatestandard of living, including food, clean water and housing).
Development - To allow every child the chance to develop his or her full potential, right to education, to restand leisure, and to engage in
Cultural activities.
Protection - This deals with mentally or physically disabled
children, refugees, dren or children Whc from their parents, and sexually exploit other objective was dren from using an
Participation-T to freedom of expre: mation, thought, C religion, and to play the Society.
According to UN there are more than Children and about refugees. At least dren Work under u healthy Conditions, million are depriv education and mor lion are suffering fro Asian children be: burden. Nearly one malnOurished. Alm World's malnourishe in eight Asian Coun stan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, P. Lanka.
The majority of t dren under five Whc in the developing V saved at an afford companies spend U advertise cigarettes that much for Vodka
the World spends at
(US $) on armame lems afflicting World be solved. It only feeling.

Ction H
ren
orphaned chil) are Separated Child abourers ed Children. Anto prevent chili selling drugs.
he child's right ssion and inforonscience and an active role in
NICEF findings 30 million Street 7 million Child 50 million ChinSafe and unmore than 100
ed Of primary
e than 150 milm malnutrition. ar the biggest
child in two is
Ost half of the
2d children live tries - AfghaniBhutan, India, akistan and Sri
he 40,000 chil| die every day world Could be able cost. US S$2.5 billion to Soviets spend , and each day out 2.5 billion nts. The prob's children Can needs a bit of
Compared to other developing COuntries, Sri Lanka has done relatively well in the area of child Welfare. Our Social statistics are one of the best in Asia and could compare favourably with even developed countries – Infant mortality - 25 per 1000 live births; population growth rate - 1.3 percent, literacy rate -91 for males and 83 for females, primary school enrolment rate 100 for both sexes. Over 90% of the children are fully immunized and life expectancy at birth is 68 for males and 72 for females.
But there are still some major problem areas. Our per Capita income is only US $ 360 (1988). According to the Consumer Finance and Socio-economic Survey (1986/ 87) the poorest 20% of the population gets 3.5% of the national incomebut the richest 20%get 56.7%. The gap is widening. Malnutrition, high morbidity, chronic undernutrition, poor housing and sanitation facilities and lack of safe water are the major problems affecting our children according to Mr. Mathema - the UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka.
Every adult has a responsibility to pay attention to these problems and to help find Solutions-if We are to ensure the health, well being and happiness of our children.
Sepalika Fernando
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CHILD ABUSE-s SOCIOLOGICAL AS
A Background
Priya-Come on Vajiral Don'trunaway Vajira - Why do you want to take my picture? Priya - I want to include it in the story am Writing of you. Vajira - Why are you Writing about me? Priya - To tell people about your diffiCulties. Vajira - What can they do about it? Priya — You know Vajira, there are important people who can do things. We want to bring to their notice your Story and stories fo other children like yOU. Vajira - Why do you have to write about us and bring it to their notice? We are everywhere.
This conversation with 13 year old Vajira, a child in years but an adult in cynicism and perception, was reported by a young researcher into the Street child.
"We are everywhere" - the School drop out selling lottery tickets, the Scraggy child walking from one railway compartment to another begging for Coins with a pathetic song, the boy hanging around places of tourist interest and pleading for pens, chewing gum and other imported goodies, the
child used by his father to cut stones at
the expense of his studies, the little girl in the market weighed down by the basket she carries and trailing behinda buxom mistress, the adolescent female
domestic servar and then turned ( she becomes pre goes on and on.
The poignant cr hits hard, a cry of prevalence of ex tion in a Country laid on the child know the full st decades of the ty has been legisla child. Enactment their care and r education (2), to tion as labour (3 from being used and from harmful law also makesp the un Wanted C rehabilitation of Societal concerr the child in all its in the Constitutior in the 1978 Cons "shall promote interest of childr en Sure their fu ( mental, moral, r. them from explo tion."
Nevertheless, with the unhapp much has been being of the ch mortality to twe births, the succe
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
 
 

programme, an 83.7% School participation rate of children of the age group 5-14 years and the elimination of child labour in the formal sector of employment), yet some deep rooted forms of
OM E child abuse still persist (e.g. child domestic labour and exploitation of chil
PECTS
dren as a family resource) and new forms of child abuse have proliferated with Social change, the development of a Consumer economy, aspirations for a better quality of life among all Strata of Society and international influences.
What specifically is indicated by the term “Child Abuse'?
There is no internationally accepted
it raped or seduced definition of child abuse. But going by but to the Streets When the UN Declaration of the Rights of the gnant- and so the list Child of November 1989, it may be
inferred that violation of these rights is Child Abuse. Nevertheless for purpose
y "Don't they See US?" of this paper and to obtain deeper inF Condemnation of the sights into the numerous facets of child ploitation and depriva- abuse in the local setting, it is neceswhere great value is sary to understand the characteristic I. Yet, Vajira did not features of childhood and to deduce ory. Since the early from this perspective that whatevergoes Ventieth Century there Counter to the fulfilment of the needs of ative concern for the childhood Constitute child abuse.
s have been made for More specifically, childhood is apemaintenance (1), their riod of dependence. Hence it is an prevent their exploita- extremely vulnerable period requiring ), to safeguard them special care and protection. Childhood in illegal activities (4), is also a period of growth-physically, publications (5). The mentally, socially and emotionally and rovision for the Care of therefore requires Speical nurturing and hild (6), and for the an environment favourable for de Velthe delinquent (7). opment. Childhood is further a period for the well being of of intense learning activity to come to aspects is embodied understand the World in which the child alsafeguard provided lives and to prepare for adult life. titution -that the State Hence childhood requires opportuniNith Special care the ties for observing, questioning, learnan and youth so as to ing accepted behavioural patterns and levelopment physical, acquiring knowledge and skills. From aligious and to protect this conceptualization of childhood it tation and discrimina- follows that if any action on the part of
a care-giver (parent, guardian, teacher or other) or of a person in a superordinate position harms or retards any aspect of a child's development, then such an action constitutes child abuse.
the Country is faced y dilemma that while achieved for the Wellld (the drop in child
ty per thousand live Viewed from this perspective child SS of the immunization abuse covers a wide spectrum ranging

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for infanticide, abandonment and battering to early removal from School or an unhealthy pressurization for achievement.
To understand the Complexity and multidimensional nature of child abuse it should be noted that it is interlocked with a number of disciplines such as sociology, economics, politics, law, physiology, psychology, education and criminology, and has also numerous dimensions including the cultural and attitudinal. Because of the complexity of the subject this paper will confine itself to the analysis of four cases of child abuse from the Socio-cultural perspective within the conceptual framework of child abuse detailed above.
All names are fictitioUS and details have been altered to Conceal identity.
B - Cases of Child Abuse
– Sajeeva
Story
Ransina was a twenty two year old woman working in the Fernando household. The husband and Wife Were both in government service and their three children were school going. Therefore, Ransina was by herself the greaterpart of the day. She was a good and honest worker and trusted by all members of the household. One day Mrs Fernando felt unwell while at Work and returned home unexpectedly, to find Ransina entertaining a man from a neighbouring dairy who used to delivermilk at the door. When Mr Fernando returned home the evening they drove Ransina back to her home and told the story to her mother. It was clear, though unnoticed by the Fernandos, that Rasina was pregnant. She hoped to marry the milkman who had passed off as a bachelor. But inquiries revealed he was in fact married. Enraged Ransina's brother thrashed her mercilessly. How could they face the village? In the early hours of the following morning Ransina took her few belongings and went to the home of a dhoby family with whom she had struck up a friendship while in service. This faimily lived in a small hut with plank Walls and thatched roof. They said that Ransina could live with them
s
4.
until the baby was b possible to keep an that hovel which Cou date their own family finement Ransina W( basis in affluent hor after the baby was b she named SajeevaWork anda place to li to the life of a beg pavements and und child She had no ch: Work. Once She was throttling the infant. quences restrained OCCasion she tried to an Unsuspecting fem But She was detecte met One Of the ladies worked. She promise job in the Middle Ea Ransina Wasa capabli maid. But Who Wouldic By now Sajeeva was old - an emaciated ir and retarded in his de he had a boOUit Of die took him to a clinic. Ransina was asked regularly for vitamins, nization and medical Sina turned up moi Sajeeva was running Social Worker Wh Sajeeva's patheticifigi to Ransina “Why didi child earlier, as youw you trying to kill him? Ransina. She wanted East
Analysis
The story of Sajee Web of CircumstanCes to infanticide and aba Child-the Social Ostra who has an illegitimat tion by her own family inability to find for hers Without support, lack Support systems, the ployment in the oilric Middle East and the Comfort in this Eldo
 
 
 

Drn. But it Was imother and child in dbarely acCOmoPrior to her Conorked on a casual mes near by. But Drn — a SOn Whom -she could find no ve. She then took gar, sleeping on 2r treeS. With the ance of obtaining s on the point of But fear of Conseher. On another pass the infant to |ale at a bus stop. 2d. One day she For Whom She had dtoget Ransinaa ast as she knew e COOkandhousejokafterSajeeva? about 1 1/2 years nfant, dull looking velopment. Once rrhoea. Ransina
After treatment to bring the child
nutrients, immuChecks. But Rannths later When a high fever. A D remembered ureturned angrily n't you bring this are asked to? Are '"Yes" answered ogoto the Middle
va illustrates the driving a mother ndonment of her Cism of a WOman e child, the rejecher poverty, the elf and her infant
of knowlege of
opening of emn countries of the isions of a life of ado being shat
tered because she is shackled by her infant. The child would have been allowed to die of neglect were it not for the timely intervention of a social worker.
2. Seela Wathie
Seelawathie's father was a COConut plucker. When Seelawathie was six he fell from a tree and died. He left behind a family of five children. Seelawathie Was the one but the youngest. The mother was a casual agricultural labourer and had no other means of Support. Sunkindepair she gladly Seized an offer made by the village mudalali to give to his cousin Mr Perera, aheadmasterina Small town, the child Seelawathi for adoption, Mr. Perera too had children, all of School going age and Seelawathie had only to be a companion to them when they were at home. Mr Perera would undoubtedly send Seelawathieto the village schoolthough not to the Convent his daughters attended. So persuaded, Seelawathie's mother removed her from the village primary school and took her to Mr Perera's household. it was however, not adoption, but slave labour. There
was no talk of schooling for Seela
wathie. She was the first to be woken up to help Mrs Perera with the Cooking. and the last to go to bed. She was at evey one's beck and call and was given a knock or slap when she did not respond fast enough. When the other children left for School, Seelwathie would watch them wistfully and then return to the Soot and Smoke of the kitchen.
Seelawathie was Comparatively well fed on rice and curry. But delicacies were only for the children of the family. Whenever the mother visited SeelaWathie Mrs Pererane Ver|left themalOne. She was Sent back home With Seelawathie's "salary" and some cast off clothes for the older children. The mother would go away happy tucking inside herjacket the daughter's meagre earnings and an additional Rs 100.
One day after a child's birthday party, Seelawathie took a tempting piece of cake which Mrs Perera had stored away. One of the daughters caught Seela
wathie in the act of "stealing and
dragged her to the mother. Mrs Perera
Imago
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tied her to a pillar and rubbed chillie powder on her tongue. The next morning Seelawathie took Rs 10/- from the mistress's purse, and ran away. She was seen by a teacher living nearby and taken to her home. When Mr Perera was informed he went to the teacher's house with a cane and drove Seelawathie back thrashing her all the way. Notasoul protested. A few months later, Seelwathieran away again and was able to find her way to the village. But the mother fearing reprisals from the Mudalali took Seelawathie back. Again SeelaWathie ran away. Mr. Perera informed the Police. But she had not been heard of Sin Ce.
Analysis
Seelawathie's story is almosta Worked example of the exploitation of children as cheap domestic labour. Poverty provides the excuse and the opportunity for such exploitation. The Perera family appears as the Worst offenderthe Crime against the child being Compounded by the fact that he is in a profession committed to the care and well being of children. Neverheless, with the conceptual framework of child abuse, the mother becomes the primary offender. Though she gives the child for "adoption" in all good faith yet she uses the little girls earnings for the benefit of the family without any Consideration for the child's Own future. Further, the mother did not have the Courage to stand up for the child. She fled to her for protection. Nor can the neighbourhood be absolved of responsibility. By its silence it gave Support to the use of a child almost as slave labour
and Condoned the brutal treatment of a
child.
3. Karuna and Somapala
Story
When Ranidecided to go to the Middle East as a house maid, like so many of her relatives, no one objected - not even her husband, Jinasena. She was leaving behind three young children. But Kusumaa girl of thirteen, would be able to do the cooking and look after her four year old brother Samira. The eleven year old. Somapala was big enough to give his sister a helping
ECONOMICREVIEW OCTOBER 1990
hand. Though the less chapito fond C sponsible, everyon change once the SideS hiS OW'n mot doors away andsh On the household. ful opportunity foi Rani's earnings the house to replace jewellery for Kusu mapalain busines enough. Moreove spared for a couple ings from her hus with a light heart, made adequate a family.
In the morning k the mid day meal grandmother and One daythe grandi See KuSumma’s te rumour going rol Kusuma had Confi father does Withm With mother". The not believe this StOr tioning and probing drunken spells the handled the girl, ye far as to rape he promptly took Kus her own home. But the girl from that because of the SC raised.
Enraged, Jinas Somapala. He took to do the househ him in his Work as instead of working as Ordered by hi took Some moneyf and went to see a When he returned a tree full of redar In spite of his cri Somapala's help. Was Only exercisin discipline a wayV father left, Somap himself and run a
 
 
 

father Was a shiftf the bottle and irre2 expected he would wife was away. Bes her lived only a few e could keep an eye tseemed a Wonderthe family. With y would build a new their mud hut, buy ma and set up SoS When he was old ir Rani, would be of years the batterband. SO Rani left
Confident she had rangements for the
Kusuma Would Cook take Samira to their then go to School. mother was asked to acher. There Was a und the School that ded in a friend, "My e what he used to do grandmother would y. But persitent quesgrevealed that in his father had sexually at he had not gone so r. The grandmother uma and Samira to she had to withdraw E particular School andal that had been
Sena took it out of the boy Out of School old chores and help s a vendor. One day in the home garden s father, Somapala rom his father's purse film With his friends. the father tied him to its and thrashed him. (eS, nO -- One Came tO
After all, the father Ig his parental right to Ward Son. When the alamanaged to free way to his maternal
uncle. Unwilling to incur the Wrath of his borhter-in-law the uncle handed Somapala to the care of the Chief Bhikku of the village temple. He hoped the boy Would be ordained in due Course. .
Analysis
This case brings out the strains and stress affecting the families of migrant Women workers leading to child abuse. The father weak or alcholic is unable to handle the new situation. And in the absence of his wife he works out his frustrations and aggression on the two older children. In terms of our culture removing a child from School for the maintenance of the family and physical chastisement directed towards the disciplinning of a boy maybe considered as child abuse only marginally. But the sexual abuse of young daughter left in a father's Care Would be Condemned by any standard of morality as Child abuse of the darkest hoe. It is further brought out that even the corporal punishment meted out to Somapala in its Severity was really a mean by Which the father WOrked Out his frustrations and Was not directed towards the Well being of the Son.
And So Rani WOuld return to a broken home even though laden with good things for the children.
One interesting fact emerges from this story. There is one escape route for the abused boy, not available to the sister, namely to take refuge in atemple.
4. Shanta
Story
Shantas story is in a completely different setting to the other three. Both his parents are teachers. Both are from families of goodstanding. But they have little wealth except undivided shares in ancestral property. Shanta is the only boy in a family of four children. So the hope of the parents were centred on him to acquire wealth and reach the upper rungs of society.
Shanta was admitted to one of the best Schools in the Island, and was
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urged to follow every possible extra Curricularactivity. He was sent for cricket practices and classes in swimming, elocution and art-though he was not particularly keen on any of them. Academically he was only little more than average. So to ensure admission to a Medical faculty (the parents had set their heart on seeing their son a doctor) he was given tution in every subject from the age of seven. So from the early years he was pushed hard and made to feel that the future well being of the family depended on him. The parents drove Shantahard. But they drove themselves hard too-engaging in several businesses other than to earn the money needed to pay for classes to which they sent their children.
Shanta sat for the Genral Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (G.C.E O/ L) when he was fifteen. Just before the results were out he was a nervous Wreck. He couldn'teatorsleep and had bouts of diarrohea. When the results were out the house was like a house of mourning. Shanta had failed to qualify for admission to the G.C.E. Advanced Level Science stream - the only path leading to a carrer in medicine.
Shanta's uncle came to find out the results. But Shanta was nowhere to be seen. He heard a noise in a garden shed and ran towards it. He was just in time to strike a bottle of insecticide from Shanta's hands.
Analysis
This case illustrates the other side of the Coin where parents with high ambition drive their children too hard and too early for high achievement regardless of their abilities. While the declared reason for such pressure is concern for the child's future, there is also the covert reason of wanting to realise, through the boy, their own asiprations and use him as a vehicle for upward social mobility.
C. issues
These cases cover only some areas of child abuse. Nevertheless they spotlight several important issues.
1. Many forms of child ranging from child battering to exploitation as family
labour take plac Hence What is v tip of the iceber may not provid nature and previ this country.
2. There is lega and protect the
Nevertheless e use of child labc of employment, effectively enfor Vation reveals
domestic Serva Nevertheless dt to 10.8.89 only been reported to bour. During the Only one court aginstan emplo tion Ordinance Compulsory uptc law, which if end a deterant to the the informal se forced. It is the COntainment of should there be effective law en
3. Equally im ment of a SOCia child abuse. W. efforts to raise
develop a sense
nevertheless th and Sustained
media is used International CF the notice of the child abuse. On are long silenc government de Concerned with next occasion C
4. It is brough vides the idea most forms of C viation of pove tant requiremer the most comm Nevertheless, s
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2 in a domestic Setting. sible may be only the J. Statistics, therefore, a true picture of the lence Of Child ab USe in
Concern to safeguard phild from exploitation. xcept in relation to the Ur in the formal Sector laws have not been Ced. Participant obserthe presence of child nts in urban homes. ring the period 10.3.86 welve such cases had the Department of Laperiod of eleven years case had been filed yer. Similarly the Educa2 making education D the age of fourteen (a forced, would serve as 2 use of child labour in }ctor) is not now enrefore Vital that for the child abuse not only legal enactments but forcement machinery.
portant is the developconscience regarding hile there are sporadic public awareness and of public responsibility ere is no orchestrated attempt to do so.The On occasions, such as ildren's Day, to bring to public the problems of ethat daypasses there ls, even on the part of partment and NGO's child abuse, until the omes round.
t out that poverty pro
breeding ground for nild abuSe. HenCe allety becomes an imporit for the eradication of )n forms of Child abuse. uch progrannmesalone
are inadequate without the necessarylaws, an effective law enforcement machinery, a developed social conscience and above all astrong political Commitment to the eradication of this evil.
5. Child abuse stemming from cultural ValueSandattitudes Was also observed. in Sri Lanka infanticide Was never used as a method of resolving social problems such as the control of population growth. But that it is prevalent today is seen from newspaper reports, the main reason for this being Social ostracism of the un married mother and illegitimate child.
In Sinhala society, before the coming of the Western Colonial powers, the attitude towards the illegitimate child Was much more liberal. He Was acCepted as the off-spring of an "irregular marriage" and had property rights form both parents (9). But with the enactment of the General Marriages Ordinance (10) and the spread of a strongly puritan Sexual morality, Social attitudes have become harshly condemnatory of the mother and illegitimate child. Hence with a child outside a valid marriage may be forced to the streets without any Support driven to infanticide or to the abandonment of the child.
Since today the opportunities for sexual relationships outside marriage are increasing it is desirable that the social attitude towards the illegitimate child should change that services and infrastrüctural Supports should be established and their availability publicised.
6. With the national and international Commitment towards the involvement of women in development new situations have arisen in which child neglect and abuse can take place. Therefore providing adequate care for the children of mothers who are away from the family for long periods has become an urgent need. What generally gets highlighted is the plight of children of low income families whose mothers have migrated for employment. Butchild care needs of working mothers of all Social classes require study. With the recent phenomenon of large numbers
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LEGAL
/ PROTECTION FOR C.
Professor S. W. E. Goonesekere LLB (Cey) LLM (Harvard) Attorney at Law.
01. Introduction
Childhood or minority has been defined in different ways in the indigenous and received legal tradition of Sri Lanka. The statutory age of majority was reduced from twenty One to eighteen after more than a century in 1989. (1) A child from the point of view of the law is thus a person under the age of eighteen. We shall observe that older children enjoy a wider spectrum of rights and responsibilities that childhood or minority is a diminishing legal status.
The concept of the child as a person who is entitled to legal rights has along history in Sri Lanka. In indigenous Sinhala and Tamil custom children were considered to belong to parents, and deemed an important economic resource for them (1A) Yetthe Concept that a child had a right to care and nurturing introduced some limitations on parental rights. In the colonial period the Concept of children's rights was expanded because it was recongnised that the State and the Courts has a right and duty to interfere with parental rights in the interests of children. In Roman Law the concept of patria potestas gave the paterfamilias or head of the family a right of life and death Over a child. However Roman Dutch LaW that represents the Dutch Colonial legal heritage in Sri Lanka, recognised that the State and the Courts had a protective role in relation to chidren.
The Courts status is described as that of an "Upper Guardian of Minors'. (2) Both the State and the Courts had a duty to safeguard the Welfare of children. When English law was introduced in the British period of colonial rule, the ancient legal proceeding known as the application for a writ of Habeas Corpus was used in child Custody cases to deny parental rights in the Child's interests. (3)
The obligation of parents, the State or the Courts to provide protection for children
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
that is recognised i and reCeived Colonia to be developed at concept of children's of minority was cor status as the child
adolescence and m British colonial peric lish law, recognized
Cretion at Which abo could make their ol respects. (4) The ch sons Ordinance (19. century as a 'Childré The Ordinance pro adult exploitation O ment, in society, an provided aspecial sy for children in troub therefore described sembly as a ‘Charte that Was meant to
place in Society.” (5)
The Constitution ( trend to its logical aged the child as a rights and the right to of the Community. the Child, like an adı tal rights in respec law, gender equality and degrading tr speech, ConScience Cultural rights. (6) H Concept has not bee article in the Consti adult's right to equi preted so as to pre legislative and admi State that benefit C disabled children "protective' philoso Directive Principle declares that the St Special care the We of children and pro tion and discriming Principles cannot
 
 
 

n both the indigenous legal traditions, came a later stage into a rights. Thus the status sidered a diminishing grew from infancy to |ajority. Judges in the yd, influenced by Engan arbitrary age of disy of 14 and a girl of 16 Windecisions in Some |ildren and Young Per39) was enacted in this 2n's Charter of Rights. vided for controls on if children in employd in the family. It also Istemofjuvenilejustice le. With the law. It was
in the legislative asr of Childrens Rights’ "give them their right
1978) has carried this Conclusion and envisperson entitled to civic ) share in the resources The constitution gives ult, importantfudamenof equality before the (, freedom from torture eatment, freedom of and religion, as Well as owever the protection' neliminated. A Specific ution declares that the ality shall not be intersent the introduction of nistrative policies of the hildren in general and in particular. (7). The phy also underlies the of State Policy which ate shall promote "With ilfare and development ect them from exploitation. These Directive pe enforced; yet they
HILDREN
provide values that must influence legislative and administrative policy and judicial interpretation in the Courts. (8)
The enactment of a new "Children's Char
"SRIGHTS IN SRI LANKA
ter of rights" was planned in 1979, aSa reflection of national priorities, to coincide With the U. N. international Year of the Child. This Charter in fact did no more than put together modified but existing legislation in areas such as child employment, adoption, and juvenile justice. It did not represent a response to even some of the practical problems faced in implementing and enforcing the existing laws. The Charter did not emerge as ligislation in the decade that followed. However the recent adoption of the U. N. Convention on the Rights of the Child has surfaced once again the idea of introducing a 'Children's Charter of Rights". In his message to the U. N. Summit on Children in September 1990, President Premadasa has indicated that the enactment of a 'Children's Charter' is high on the list of priorities for national policy. (9) The discussion that follows will highlight the need for Committed law enforcement and realistic legal reforms if the concept of children's rights is to become a meaningful reality in this Country.
O2. Justice for Children
The delivery of justice to children through the legal system requires a Combination of legal rights and enforcement Strategies. Even though We do not have a Special "Charter of Children's Rights', in Srilanka, We do have a strong theoretical foundation of law and legal concepts that can be used to give children equity and justice in the community. What we lack most are effective law enforcement and social mobilisation strategies that can translate theoretical legal rights into evey day realities that will touch the lives of Our child population. This is evident if we examine Selected areas of Our law.
(a) Constitutional Rights
We have observed that the Constitution (1978) recognises fundamental rights that are available to adults and children. The right to life is not specifically articulated in the Constitution but rights such as the right to freedom from torture, and indeed all the other rights presume the existence of a right to life. In any event other laws, such as the Strict abortion laws of this country (10) are based on a "right to life' concept.
The legal right to life as well as the other fundamental rights can only be enforced in
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an application presented to the Supreme Court within one month of becoming aware of a violation. They can be claimed only in respect of violations by State or executive authorities, so that violations by private persons or organisations cannot be challenged under the Constitution. The interests of national Security, public Order, the national economy and other Specified factors also legalise the limitations placed on these fundamental rights. (11) The latter premise recongises that the fundamental rights cannot be enforced by seeking - judicial remedies in situations where political violence is met by State controls on personal liberty. The former constraints prevent the assertion of fundamental rights even intimes of peace and political stability.
The absence of adequate facilities for free legal aid, and independent advocates of children's causes, such as Non-Governmental Organisations, make the Constitutional remedy very remote for the vast majority of Sri Lankan children. There have been a few instances of cases involving school admissions and torture or personal violence against children, where violations of their fundamental rights have been challenged in the Supreme Court. (12) Unless the one month rule is amended, the attitude to private sector violations modified, and independent legal representation for children provided, the Constitutional remedy will not give accessible relief for violations of fundamental rights, even under normal political conditions.
The concept of 'social action litigation' has been developed in India so as to permit concerned individuals or Non-governmental organisations to challenge the conduct of the State and private persons or authorities who violate the fundamental rights of any person. Courts also make orders requiring affirmative action that will ensure follow up action, so that fundamental rights do not continue to be violated. Non-governmental organisations and even individuals have locus standi to move the Supreme Court on behalf of vulnerable sectors of the population who cannot easily obtain access to this forum. 'Social Action litigation' in the Supreme Court has been used in India on behalf of vulnerable sectors of the child population, such as bonded workers. The recent action of the Sri Lankan Supreme Court in accepting a letter sent by Boosa detenues and its order to the Bar ASSOCiation to report on their cases is a precedent that may be used to argue that Non-governmental organisations Orindividuals can apply
for redress under the Constitution, on be
half of children.
The guarantees of equality in the Constitution and the other fundamental rights also confer limited jurisdiction on the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, because it has only a
8
restricted power of jud tion and other existin tion can be challenge through parliament, fc mental rights. Howeve cannot be challenged tion (13) Thus laws, st Act, (1948) and vari discriminate against cannot be challenged mental rights. Similar riage laws, that expre tudes in regard to the female children Canno restrictive attitude of judicial review of legis Scope of legal relief Constitution.
There is an even grei implementing and ent rights in the face of the to cultural rights. The g before the law comes guarantee on protecti The Concept of Cultural perpetuate discriminati of boys and girls an of different Communitic riage and inheritance. inheritance rights, capa age of marriage in M may continue to be rec system even when the in respect of other com to reflect health Conce table distribution of eC
In the past, uniformly a legislation on matters ity, adoption and mair the significance of plu children's rights. Ho Constitutional provisic ralism in personal lav maintenance of Musl Strate how the mainte lim children are more other children. (14) A Muslim adoptions in has undermined the Muslim children adop formly applicable adC The Supreme Court within the scope of Mt. the Maintenance CaSe a boy over fifteen year the right to claim finan father. However, ama Court has been insen an adopted Muslim ch Succeed to his or her a valuable dissenting Wanasundera may cc
s
 
 
 

cial review of legislalaws. New legislai during its passage r Violation Of fundapast laws that do SO under the Constituch as the Citizenship US family laws that illegitimate children Or Violation of fundaf inheritance or marss diverse legalattirights of male and t be challenged. The the legal system to lation thus limits the under the Sri Lanka
ater problem faced in orcing Constitutional | guarantee in regard |uarantee on equality into conflict with the on of Cultural rights. rights can be used to on between the rights d between children es in the area of marThus the attitude to acity to marry and the uslim personal law, :ognised by the legal law on these matters munities is modified erns and foster equiOnomic resources.
upplicable Sri Lankan such as wills, majortenance, minimised ralism in the area of Never, the present ns encourages pluW. Recent cases on m Children demonhance rights of Musimited than those of recent decision on the Supreme Court nheritance rights of ted under the uniption statute. (15) id attempt to work slim personal law in So as to ensure that was not deprived of cial support from his ority in the Supreme sitive to the plight of ild Who Cannot now doptive parents. The opinion of Justice ntinue to be ignored in
future on the ground that the Constitutional guarantees on Cultural rights justify a different perception of the inheritance rights of adopted Muslim children.
(b) The Legal Status of Children in the Civil Law of the Country
Civil Court have jurisdiction both under Statutes and the Roman Dutch Law to ensure that the rights of children are protected. The Courts can in their role of 'Uper Guardian of minors' safeguard children's rights in civil litigation Concerning their perSonal and proprietory rights. Indeed appellate Courts have used this jurisdiction in the past to ensure that there is independent representation of the child's interests in property litigation. Transfers pertaining to the property of minor children are subject to strict control by the Courts. (15A) They have showed similar concern in custody litigation, and emphasised that they have the power to interfere with parental or adult rights in the child's interests. (16) We have observed that the Appeal Courts have no occasion interpreted the personal laws in such a way as to minimise prejudice to children. There are instances in which they have even interpreted the law on illegitimacy in 'such a way as to minimise the discrimination against illegitimate children. This 'child oriented" judicial attitude was rejected in the recent adoption case, and is also not evidenced in the trial Courts, which handle adoption cases. Sri Lankan law permits adoption only in the case of a child under fourteen. The concept of representation for the young child, obtaining adequate information on the adoptive parents home, and monitoring the child's progress are provided for in the adoption statute. However these legal procedures are not strictly adhered to, so that abuse of infants and young children in adoption has surfaced as a significant area of concern. (16A)
The courts are of course powerless to confer legal rights when Statute laws pertaining to illegitimacy and inheritance do not recognise a child's legal right to just and equitable treatment. We have observed that the law discriminates aganist illegitimate children born out of marriage. Though legitimate children governed by the General Law, Kandyan Law and Tesawalamai enjoy equal inheritance rights. (17) Muslim law differentiates between children on the basis of gender, and the factor of adoption. A parent of any community may dispose of his property by will according to a uniformly applicable pre-independence Wills Ordinance. This legal position however is a mixed blessing. For a parent may also dispose of property to others and leave minor children destitute. A creative concept of family provision that restricts the right of disposition for the benefit of the testator's close family has not been introduced in Sri Lanka.
susmago
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 990

Page 11
Employment law is another area which affects children's rights. The minimum age of employment for children was removed from the Employment Act (1956) which now deals with this subject, and promulgated as a Subsidiary regultion in 1957. (17A) ConSequently many people are unaware that it is illegal to employ a child under twelve years. The detailed Controls on child employment between the ages of twelve to fourteen Set Out in many statutes are also Unrealistic, resulting in children in this age group being exploited in employment in the informal Sector.
Legal Controls that were enforced effectively in the early years appear to have established a tradition of excluding children under fourteen from employment in industry and the plantationS. Factors Such as female employment and free education may also have Contributed to exclusion of young children from the formal labour force, However, the incidence of child labour in the informal Sector and especially in domeStic Service is a matter of Concern.
Compulsory education regulations have not been introduced. So as to penalise employers who violate the laws on child labour. An Education Statute of 1939 and the free education scheme gave children a legal right to education from the age of five to sixteen. Yet indigency of parents and exploitative labour practices ensure that poor children are placed in employment and also fail to enter or drop out from the school's system. Employment as well as education laws need to be Strengthened to prevent parental and adult exploitation of children in employment.
Sri Lankan statute law, perpetuates the philosophy of nineteenth century English law and makes failure by the father to maintain a minor child a Criminal offence. Maintenance on behalf of achild is usually claimed in adversarial litigation in the Magistrate's Court. These legal procedures are ineffective to ensure that a child receives family support. The current 'Janasaviya' programme may intime operate as an effective Social Security system of Support. At the moment, children of all classes cannot easily obtain financial support through maintenancelitigation, particularly incircumstances where appeals are filed and they delay the enforcement of court orders. There is an urgent need to simplify the procedures for maintenance litigation so that child maintenance cases can be completed speedily. Legal aid and counselling for such litigation is also recessary. In addition some Social security benefit system must be introduced on behalf of children, if parents without means are not to be exclusively dependent on litigation for the purpose of obtaining child support from liable relatives. Such a Social security benefit system may also
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
help to minimise the doning children or pl: tive employment. It tain the Phenomenor East employment, W children at risk of r ment. (17 B)
The present system tion is adversarial. T dren Who are the foC. or matrimonial litiga Most Countries have interests are best disputes are resolv Conducive to Counse The present Family trict Courts which a approach to litigatior
(c) Protection for C nal Justice system
The legal system of its approach to child ment, and even in ri rights. LaWS in these rights rather than porC law by Contrast adop tive stance and is exploitation and abt (1883) contains ma abortion, infanticide, tion and rape which protect children fron prevent unlawful inf liberty. However lav area is very weak. B. no effort to resolves tualisSues.
Sri Lankan laws Su( and maternity leave Woman with those of the law on abortion is recognising a Woma her own body. The not allowed except situations. The rigidi placed both the mc from back Street ab permit consent to be defence even in the if she is above the Consent defence C. Custodial situations employment, where Control of the nan aC legal systems, the sent is shifted to th situations, so that he Woman Consented This does not repres that it is difficult to ol
 
 

fisk of parents abanacing them in exploitamay even help to Conof migration for Middle hich has placed many neglect and abandon
of justice in civil litigahis does not help chilis of conflict in Custody
tion between parents. found that children's protected when family ed in an atmosphere alling and Conciliation. Courts are in fact Disre adversarial in their
involving children.
Children in the Crimi
(18)
Sri Lankais positive in survival and developegard to a child's civic areas focus mainly On tections. The Criminal ts a significant protecmeant to deter child Se. The Penal Code ny offences. Such as kidnapping, abducare specially meant to in physical abuse and ingement of personal w enforcement in this sides, there has been }me important concep
ch as those on Custody identify the rights of a her minor children. Yet Schild Oriented without n's rights in respect of "apeutic abortions are
in extremely narrow ty of abortion laws has ther and child at risk ortions. The rape laws pleaded as a complete case of a young child, age of twelve. The an also be raised in Such as domestic the child is under the cused of rape. In some burden of proving Conaccused in Custodial must establish that the to Sexual intercourse.
ent Sri Lankan law, So ptain a Conviction even
in cases where the victim of rape is a young child between the ages of twelve to fourteen.
The Laws on child abuse are also inadequate. Incest is not a crime under the Penal Code, while Part V of the Children and Youg Persons Ordinance (1939) on Cruelty to children has never been brought into operation. Physical assaults and abuse of children must be prosecuted as the highly technical offences defined in the Penal Code. This makes obtaining convictions for physical injury other than homicide, difficult. This is one reason why many of the acts of gross cruelty perpetrated against employed and adopted children or children in the family go unprosecuted. Besides the Juvenile Court Magistrate in Colombo, before whom the child victim of Such abuse is usually produced has no jurisdiction to impose sanctions on the adult. The adult's Conduct thus goes unpunished unless the Police is Willing to make an effort to investigate the case and initiate a prosecution in the ordinary courts.
The law on prostitution and trafficking in children is based on nineteenth century colonial Legislation — the Vagrants Ordinance (1841), the Brothels Ordiance (1889) and the Penal code (1883). Inevitably the provisions regulating prostitution in public places in the former Ordinances, and those regulating female prostitution and traffic in Women for the prupose of porstitution, do not bring within their net the new form of boy prostitution that has surfaced as a problem in recent years. The laws on trafficking are also inadequate to deal with problems concerning sale of children for adoption and export of small boys to the Gulf States for Camel riding. Some executive action has been taken recently to tighten immigration controls in regard to travel abroad by small children. However, many boys who are already in the Gulf States as Camel riders have not been traced because of the failure to identify, their camps and negotiate through diplomatic channels with their employers.
Statutory controls on use of children in the film industry and for pornography can be found in the legislation regulating employment of children, and obscene publications. (19) Penalties in the Obscene Publications Ordinance (1927) have been increased recently. But it is not clear whether the Controls cover use of children in pornography. Frequent use of children in advertising as well as the public advertisements for use of children in adverstising suggests that the System of regulatory controls and licenses on this subject is not in operation. Inadequacies in drug law enforcement have encouraged the use of even small children as couriers in the local drug trade.

Page 12
The Children and Young Persons Ordinance (1939) was a Statute that was enacted so as to provide a system of juvenile justice for children in trouble with the law. This statute provides for a system of probation, and the rehabilitation of children with criminal convictions, or with a history of delinquency. It Created a system of juvenile Courts and also provided for the removal of children from malfunctioning home environments and their placement in care," either with a responsible adult or an institution. The statute provides for separation of child offenders from adult prisoners. Howeverthelack of an adequate cadre of probation officers and judicial, prison, and institutional facilities, has resulted in various problems.
There is only one Juvenile Court based in Colombo Sothat ordinary Magistrates Courts are required to handle cases of child offenders. Children are sometimes placed on remand with adult offenders for minor offences. On the other hand women who are detained or Committed to serve sentences of imprisonment may be placed in these institutions with their small children. The recent practice of "rehabilitating street children appears to result in a misuse of both the Vargrants Ordiance and the Children Young persons Ordinance. Children are picked up by the police, separated from their parents, brought before the Juvenile Courts, and placed in care' in various institutions. (20). However, the official word used in making these placements is "remand'. This in itself reflects the approach of the authorities to this interference with personal liberty.
The Wimalaratne Committee on Sentencing of Young Offenders produced a report on this subject (21) The suggestions for reform made in this report have not yet been implemented. However the concept of a 'Children's charter of Rights has been Surfaced once again by government, and it is likely that the subject of juvenile justice will receive attention. It is not clear whether there will be any effort to relate these reforms to new problems that have surfaced after the Wimalaratne Commission produced its report. This is partly due to the lack of an effective consultative process in initiating law reform.
Unlike in other areas, the major problem with the administration of criminal justice is the inadequacy of law enforcement. This situation is worsened by lack of public awareness of legal rights and responsibilities, and the virtual non-exestence of mechanisms, for obtaining representation for the child in legal proceedings. The Probation and Child Care Department does not have adequate resources. Unless individual lawyers are persuaded to intervene, and
_______
10
agree to flow a case ( child's situation does Concern. Adult violation. it is, go unprosecuted. Committed policy of la encourages further viol, clearly in the area of C domestic Service, that i. child abuse.
Conclusion
The theoretical frame regard to children's ri inadequacy. However, geared to delivery of Gaps and loopholes in and the constitution inp be continued, and Some be introduced in the area However, the need of th much theoretical change children's rights but an mitted enforcement po Specially urgent in rega penalties for adult abus children. The protective cannot become meaning Such a Committed law e Judges, lawyers and authorities are required greater sensitivity to th ceive justice through the
Crucial to this process facilities for independen the child's interests in les the moment Several off units handle issues relat Children's Secretariat, Child Care Department Children'S Affairs Divisio Labour, and the Wom Bureau of the City Polis when a problem such trafficking in boys for c Middle East or child pri nography surfaces, ther thority that can be move action on behalf of the ch lacuna in the exsisting rangements for dealingw ing to children. The gap is felt more ke non-governmental org Lanka which do assist difficult circumstances h oriented programmes fo ganisations have not, as as activist organisations for the child in society an system.
 
 
 

Unless the State, individuals and these organisations Combine to place protection of children's rights high on their list of priorities, legislative reforms and a new children's charter will not bring justice to children. A child placed in a well functioning
n child abuse, the family unit will in general enjoy the rights not attract special granted by the legal system. Intervention on of the law, even as his or her behalf may be necessary only on The absence of a occasion. It is the child in difficult circumenforcement this stances or from the malfunctioning family tions. This is seen unit that needs the special protection of the ild employment in legal system. Such a child depends on a fertile Source of effective law enforcement and legal repre
Sentation to claim his legal rights.
Law enforcement is fraught with problems in a situation where there has been a total
Work of the law in breakdown of law and order. The anguish hts has areas of and suffering of children conscripted forciit is in the main bly for armed Combat in the North and the ustice to children. East, and rendered homeless refugees in the law in general, their own Country cannot be alleviated by articular should not Charters and Conventions of Children's major reforms can Rights. However, laws articulate values that sdiscussed above. Can Set Standards When an effort is made to e moment is not SO implement them. Thus enforcement of in the Statement of existing laws where political realities make effective and Com- law enforcement possible is an urgent need licy. This need is if children's rights in Sri Lanka are to mean rd to imposition of Something more than empty rhetoric.
e and explitation of
Stance of the law Notes gful unless there is 1. Age of Majority Ordinance (1865) as amended (1989) nforCement policy. 1A. Tesawalamai Code (1806) Part VII refers to sale of children; also, Robert Knox An Historical Relation of law. enforcement the island of Ceylon (1681) i to respond with 2. Spiro E. Law of Parent and Child (1985) p. 257; e Child's right to re- Goonesekere, S. Law of Parent and Child (1987)p,
2O6
legal system. 3. GoOneSekera ibid. Ch. V
4. Ibid p. 253
5. Hansard (1934) Vol. 1 & Vol. II, Debates on Children is the provision of and Young Person's Ordinance.
6. Constitution (1978) Ch. lll t representation of 7. Art. 12 (94) gal proceedings. At 8. Arts. 27(13), 29 - - - 9. Ceylon Daily News Oct. 1990. icial administrative 10. Penal Code (1883) S. 303 ng to children - the 11. Arts. 15 (1) to 15 (8) the Probation and 12. ':Ç ိုဖြိုချို့် Söhlete
V Perera (1990) unreported; Wijesiriwardene
驚 : Kumara (1989) 2. Sri Lanka R 312 n of the Ministry 13. Art. 16 (1) Art 120 to 124 en and Children's 14. Ummul Marzoonal v Samad (1977)79 NLR 209;
ce, in Borella. Yet Burhan vismail (1978) 2Sri LR 218 15. Ghouse v Ghouse (1988) 1 Sri LR 25 aS that involving 15A. Goonesekera op. citch. V|| amel riding in the 16. ibid Ch. W
Stitution and por- 16A. ibid Ch. I, IX; note 15 Supra;
- Adoption of Children Ordinance (1941) e is no single au- 17. Matrimonial rights and inheritance Ordinance (1876);
d to take effective Kandayan Law Ordinance (1938); Jaffna Matrimonial - - - Rights and inheritance Ordinance (1911). ildvictim. This is a 17A. Children and Young Persons Ordinance (1939) administrative ar- provisions were repealed. Now see Employment of rith problems relat- Women Young Persons and Children Act (1956) and
- - the Employment Regulation (1957). n official response 17B. Cumaranatunga L. K. Sri Lankan Domestic Aides in enly because West Asia. Kiribamune S and Samarasinghe V. (ed) anisations in Sri Women at the Crossroads, Vikas (1990)
8. G kera S. Child FP Sri Lank
akri 18. Goonesekera S. Child Prostitution in Sri Lanka. children placed In Lawasia (1987); Goonesekera S. Violence against ave mainly service Women, Centre for Womens Research, National Con r them. These or- vention Papers (1989).
- 19. Obscene Publications Ordinance (1927) as amended
in India emerged (1983)
that seek justice 20. Film screened on Rupavahini on "rehabilitation' to through the legal coincide with Children's Week, October 1990.
21. Sessional Paper No. VI (1988).
Ramadegau DND
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 13
CHILD HEALTH,
滚
MoR,
Professor Priyani Soysa was a Comsultant Paediatrician in the Ministry of Health serving Ja ten years. She has been Professor for Paediatrics in the University of Colombo for twenty fivey on Nutrition to the United Nations sub-committee on Nutrition (SCN) for six years. She also se on Maternal and Child Nutrition for two years. Nominated by the UN/SCN. She served on inters committees. She has been a Guest Fellow Professor of the Australian College of Paediatric British Paediatric Association. She has been a WHO consultant on Undergraduate nad Post ticipating in many international forums. She is on several National Committees concerni Professional ASSociations and non-governmental organisations.
Cid health in Sri Lanka has improved by leaps and bounds in the last few decades. However, there are dismal areas within the major leaps that have occured.
Infant Mortality rate is an indicator of many aspects of health and as Well a social indicator as in the measurement of the Physical Quality of life index. Over half a Century ago, infant mortality rate Was 158 per 1000 live births. It Came down to Seventy in the fifties and to 50 in the Seventies. From then on, it has declined steadily. Today, infant mortality has been brought down to less than 30.
The problem of mortality in Sri Lanka is still in the first year. It can be further Stated that most of this mortality is under three months. Still further, it is neonatal mortality (under one month) that contributes the major part of this mortality.
The early reduction in infant mortality was partly linked to the Conquest of malaria. Malaria has raised its ugly head again but fortunately although morbidity is high, mortality is low. This has to be attributed to the Combination of good Communication, the Confidence of the people in Western medicine, the present quest for early treatment in hospitals and the Success of modern therapy and relatively low drug resistance.
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
Improvements trendS and SOCia followed indeper Cornerstone in t Survival. Certail has led to the lib Cation for Wom life style and a factors have led of family plannin health package have enjoyed, ir the Alma Ata Cry Care.
There are diffe fant Mortality Ra tricts which CC With the status higher IMR rates Eliya and Kanc there is the high aCute malnutriti ords a fairly high best health facili hand, it includes With poor housi On the Other ha Hospital is the almost the whole ity is recorded W
- not in relevance
dence of the dec as Colombo has the loWest in Trin Cessarily relev health, social Sources in that be a slight under deaths in remote
Neonatal mori
 
 
 

NUTRITION AND
TALITY
ffna, Ratnapura and Kurunegala for 'ears. She was on the advisory group |rved as Chairperson of a Tast Force national Paediatric and Nutrition Subs and is an Honorary Member of the graduate Paediatrics, besides parng children and President of many
in SOCiO-eCOn OmniC al organisation that ndan CemuStbe the his march to child nly free education beralisation of eduen, changing their aspirations. These to the acceptance
gand also the free that Sri LankanS hdeed even before for primary health
erentials in the Inate in different disDuld be Correlated of nutrition. The ; are in the Nu Wara dy districts where nest prevalence of On. Colombo recIMR in spite of its ties. But On the One a slum population ng and Sanitation. ind, the Children's referra Centre for ! island and mortalhere it occurs and to the actual resiBeased. Thus, just s a high mortality, Comalee is not neant to the actual Or eCOnOmiC – rearea. There could reporting of infant
rural areas.
ality accounts for
more than 60% of the Infant mortality. It is heartening to note that neonatal mortality due to tetanus was halved in one year with immunisation of mothers against tetanus in pregnancy. However perinatal mortality rate PMR (which is defined as the still birth mortality from the 28th Week of gestation and through the first Week of life) preSupposes a level of medical technology that is presently not readily available in Sri Lanka.
For the island as a whole, under reporting of still births could certainly be widespread.
Low Birth Weight
It has been proposed by PetrosBarvazien and Behar othat birth Weight distribution makes a good yardstick of Socio-economic development especially since it is an aCCurate reflection of the environmental factors that contribute to overall low birth weight (LBW) rates."
The period of most rapid growth and development of the human life Spanis the intrauterine period. The foetus is not completely protected from harmful influences such as nutritional deficiencies and infections. The use of birth Weight as an important health and development indicator is therefore justified.
A low birth weight baby is defined as One that weighs 2500grams or
11

Page 14
leSS at birth. It may be due to the birth of a baby before 37 weeks of gestation when it is called preterm, or to intra uterine growth retardation when it is called Small for dates
(SFD) or Light for Gestational Age (LGA).
Sample Surveys done in Colombo by the University Paediatric Unit Over two decades and presently at sentinel sites in Sri Lanka by the Family Health Bureau suggest that Low Birth Weight is a public health problem. The University data relates to the distinction between preterm babies and SFD babies. There is also evidence from many developing countries that low birth weight influences neonatal mortality, contributes to high rates of morbidity and mortality in the first few years of life. It also adversely affects the potential of human development.
In Sri Lanka, from 21 - 30% of births are less than 2500 grims. Over 80% of these are Small for Dates and these reflect the adVerse environmental influences viz. the health of the mother.
Our data on maternal age and parity highlight these as important variables. Mothers under twenty and Over 35 tend to have Small babies. Parity enchances growth up to para 3, after which the maternal resources are no longer adequate to provide afavourable envirՕրment.
There is a positive association between maternal stature and weight and the weight of babies. It appears that stunted growth is principallydue topoormaternalnutrition while With further decrease in birth weight, other pathological features like maternal toxaemia and Congenital abnormalities assume more
prominence in aetiology, either as
direct or Contribur Identifying moth ducing low birthw be done on previc parity (more thar blood pressure ar Status of mother, Cates that for We the modalmaterna 46 - 49 kilos.
Despite genet
Causes of low
embedded in th There is associat birth weight and c Socio-economic d as per capita inc
energy COnSUmp
banneWSpapercir population, radio population, popu Cian and So on.
The existing SOC tors during moth tional period and childhood and gir an important eff Weight of her bab: generations WOul eliminate this pro Weight.
Serial studies ir reveal any chang tion of low birth we of the average bi Lanka.
It behoves heal to look into this nutritional Status ( reflection on futur Children.
Postnatal Morta
Diarrhoea
The mostimporta in the older infant
To quote the Re figures, 45% of di
12
 
 

tory CauSeS.
erS at risk of proeight babies must DUS performance, 3), presence of di poor nutritional Our study indiall grown babies, alWeight is around
ic variability the Oirth Weight are he environment. ion between low rude indicators of evelopment such 2Ome, per capita tion, percent urCulation per 1000 and TV per 1000 lation per physi
iO eCOnomic facer's preconcepeven during her ihood may have eCt On the birth Dies. At least tWO d be required to blem of low birth
in the unit do not as in the distribuight nor a change irth weight in Sri
Eh administrators problem of poor Of WOmen and itS 'e generations of
ity Due to
Lnt cause of death is gastroenteritis. gistrar General's eaths due to gas
troenteritis OCCUr in the O - 5 year old age group. Of these 46% occur , in infancy and 54% in School children.
Studies in the University unit in Colombo, reveal that 50% of admissions for diarrhoea. OCCurunder one year. Although respiratory diseases top the admissions to this unit and gastroenterities Comes second, the highest number of deaths in the unit are due to gastroenteritis.
What is also important is that only 10% of these were being breastfed at that time. Even those, were receiving water and fruit drinks in an unsatisfactory feeding bottle.87.5% were formulafed by 3 months. Thus inappropriate bottle feeding is begun in a family that can ill afford 讹。
Breastfeeding often fails early in the neonatal period as there is no antenatal preparation for breast. . feeding. Mothers are not enthused with confidence that they will be SUCCessful in lactation. On the other hand, they often leave the maternity ward with a bottle. There is urgent need to look into maternity Ward practices as an important step in promoting breast feeding.
The award of three months maternity leave is a wise step to promote breastfeeding. It also make breast feeding prestigious and trendy.
in a South East Asian inter-COuntry study of perinatal mortality and morbidity, feeding difficulties have been listed as an important deter
minant of this. Information and in
vestigations suggest that breast milk protects not only against bacteria and viruses that cause gastrointestinal infections but also protects against systemic infections. Therefore breastfeeding must be safeguarded.
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 15
We observed that poor sanitation and impure watersuply in the urban sector have been conducive to the OCCurence of diarrhoea among formula fed babies, whereas in the rural sector this problem of poor environmental sanitation is not so aCUte.
In Sri Lanka, children grow well up to about 4 months on breast milk alone. They need to have complementary feeding from that time. We have proposed different recipes both at home level and at Commercial level from locally made foods. These are cereal and legume mixtures, and therefore rice-based with soya or green gram or Cowpea. A green leaf or carrot or golden pumpkin added to this would provide the Vitamin A requirement.
Person to person education has popularised this and more mothers accept it now and do not wait until late infancy for the rice-eating ceremony as they did before. This message therefore is important and must be dispersed throughout the Country to prevent faltering of growth in infancy.
The growth chart must be available at every clinic so that health workers can detect the earliest altering of growth to give advice regarding this type of feeding.
The age distribution of malnutrition is as follows:
Although international workers
Could not justify this prevalence of
リコ
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
malnutrition Wit fant mortality, i network of heal port the malnou in Sri Lanka is the nutritional Si nity. Still the unc lence of malnut tion. The supp programme ha targetted. Ther ages and logist distribution that has failed to be tion interventio Vamped.
The greatestin been in relation disorders. It is those of us Wh years' (since the liomyelitis, di|| whooping coug measles. The C eases since na in our lifetime, V eration through gramme of imir ute not only to health Services multilateral age UNICEF. With ers have play reducing death ease in the Wh Measles had b. aSOne Of the im precipitating m for immunisati ease has now malnutrition. In Seldom seen. E trition or maras effects on gro\, ing stunting ar their physical a Follow up of gi preschool, ch number of acu
tions that Cau:
 
 
 
 
 

h falling rates of int appears that the th Services do SupIrished. Hence MR not an indicator of atus of the Commu:onsciousable prevatrition needs attenlementary feeding as not been Well 'e are several leaktic Constraints in its OvertWO decades it B an effective nutriin. It has to be re
npact seems to have |tOthe immuniSable like a fairy tale for no have battled for e fifties) against pophtheria, tetanus, h, tuberculosis and decline of these distional immunisation With its further accethe expanded promunisation is a tribnational Workers in s and training. The Incies such as WHO their dynamic leaded a great role in ' and crippling disole World. been identified by US portant infectionsin alnutrition. Our Cry pn against this disV prevented acute fact KWashiorkor is But chronic undernusmus has functional Ning children Causld apathy reducing ndmental potential. OWith Curves among ildren shows the te respiratory infecSe failure to thrive.
Sleeping in a huddle in poor illventilated rooms is the background to recurrent respiratory disease. Not Only the infection but also poor feeding practices during illness cause weight loss. Here again a health message of motivating children to sleep alone incorners rather than rebreathe each OtherS” COntaminated air is important. It is obvious that acute respiratory disease is the Commonest infection among children (vide table) and most of this could be thus preVented until better housing is avail
able, before the year 2000.
Diarrhoea is the other problem that assails the child when foods other than breastmilk are added to the diet. One cannot under estimate the value of the Scientific formula of the Century in fighting deaths due to gastroenteritis. Jeevani has been popularised for dehydration and should reduce the need for intravenous therapy. Yet, traditional recipes of home-based solutions have a great role as they are already accepted by the people. King Coconut Water, lime juice and rice Cunjees prevent dehydration.
One must highlight the need for pure Water and Sanitation. There are still too many families sharing One toilet and a Way-side tap or Well. Shigella epidemics with the attending toxaemia Cause fatality and diarrhoea Still remains at the top of the list of mortality in childhood.
Personal hygiene in food handling is another message that must perVade the Whole Community in Our fight against killing diarrhoea.
The impact of new drugs in the Control of Worm infestations is reflected in the low admissions for complications due to Worm infections. The old drugs had many side effects which We saw in the fiftiesboth uncontrolled migration and
Contd. on page 16,
13

Page 16
CHILDREN
oN THE ROADT
Dr. (Mrs.) Lorna Dewaraja Director institute of Workers Education, University of Colombo
in Sri Lanka which boosts of nearly fifty years of Free Education from Kindergarten to the University and having one of the highest literacy rates in Asia, it is distressing to find thousands of children who should be in School, exploited by adults and even by parents, engaged in illegal pursuits which would ultimately lead them to crime. Traditionally children had been employed as domestic servants, pavement hawkers and menial labourers. With the new economic changes and the influx of tourists new andmoredangerous forms of activities have emerged which encourage the young to defy, the law and induct them to Crime.
One of the principal factors if not the key one promoting child labour is underemployment or unemployment among parents. The parents of employed children and young persons are not against them being employed, instead they tend to encourage them. Parents in the low income group do not regard a child of 10 as a dependent but as a coprovidersharing family responsibility. A disabled or sick parent or a drunkard father will prompt a child to seek employment. It is clear that
poverty and large family size draw
children to the labour market. Very often it is the first or second child in a large family who seeks employment to support the younger siblings. Many of them do not have a criminal background and they do not always come from broken
14
homes, but the r employment Could delinquency.
Listed belloWare SOI to which young Chile into:
1. Pavement hawk
2. Domestic emple 3.Conductors in pl 4. Employed by adult ing of liquor and ta|| 5. Employed by adu ing of trees and gro 6. Employed in gro Camps or "WadiyaS 7. Illicit gemming. 8. Employed as unsk in garages and shops. 9. Employed as cl Sengers, lifting het hotels, boutiques ar 10. Professional Cl
The most commo is the employment domestic servants. among apartment d Suburbs of Colomb that one ineverythr households employ Servant. Thereason: of child servants are Earlier young wom group 18-35 yearsal of the age 35-65 Come from thevillag and Suburbs as d youngergroup hasr lucrative employm maids in the Middle group is also difficu Cause, these Wome have to look after their daughters whic
 
 
 
 
 

CRIME
ature of their ave the way to
me of the trades dren are forced
ing.
oyment. rivate VanS. Sin illicit brewoing of trees. its in illicit fellWing of ganja. ups in fishing
(illed labourers bicycle repair
eanerS, mes
avy Weights in
ld markets. nild Beggars.
namong these of children as A Survey done wellers in three O has revealed ee middle ClaSS /s a child as a sforthisincrease not far to seek. len of the age nd older Women years used to es to the tOWnS Omestics. The how found more ent as house East. The older it to recruit ben say that they the Children of ) have gone to
the Middle East. Also many girls
from Villages who would have normally taken to domestic employment, now find that there are more attractive avenues of employment open to them such as factory Work Specially in garment factories in the Free Trade Zone. Hence domestic labour is hard to find and very expensive. As a result the cheapest Source of labour, children are exploited to the maximum.
Children are brought from villages or tea estates by an agent (who is invariably a relative) who is paid by the employer of the child. These children come from very poor and Sometimes broken families. The typical background of a servant child Would be a father who is an estate labourer and a mother who has deserted the family for anotherman or vice versa. Usually the parent who is left behind/is too poor to Cope with theနှီးဗါး၊ as many of these families/are very large. The agents then appear on the Scene to take away the children to urban homes.
These children are not sent to
school by their employers. They are given food and clothing but not paid regular Wages - perhaps a meagre allowance. They Work ir
regular hours and are given various
types of jobs like Cooking, Washing
clothes and cleaning. Some of these
children maintain links with their families and may even send their meagre earnings to their parents.
Some of them remain in employ
ment because they are better off than if they were at home and also
with the fervent hope that their
employers will find a suitable job for
them lateron. Butthose aspirations
are rarely realised.
Apart from the physical injury and Sexual abuse which threatens a child servant he or she could be easily lured by circumstances to
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 17
indulge in petty thefts. These could
be due to dire necessity or acts of
revange due to nonpayment of wages. There are many cases of such thefts committed by child servants or ex child servants who have run away from their employers. The life histories of some prostitutes show that they were employed as children in households, seduced by their masters or made pregnant by them and then driven away. Unable to face their families again these women have ended up as prostitutes sometimes with babies in arms. Statistics related to the Whole island obtained from the police headquarters in Colombo regarding suicide by children and young persons reveal that a large number of them were domesticemployees. It is clear that the employment Of Children aS COmestiCS Will endanger their mental and physical health and very often place them on the path to delinquency.
Pavement Hawking: Walking around the street of the big cities one sees large numbers of childrenselling foodstuffs, trinkets, toys and lottery tickets along the crowded pavements. Their ability and youthful high pitched voices are their asSets. More than half of them have migrated from the village and have their roots in the village. Others are slum or pavement dwellers. A large number of them are below 14 years of age. With the growth of TV advertising, increased demand for Certain Consumer items and free flow of goods, the number of children hawking on the pavement has increased Considerably during the last few years. Since they can earn money and be independent and go back to their home in the evening (if they have any), many of the youngsters enjoy this type of self employment rather than being under an employer. But the real danger that threatens the future of these child hawkers is that they are exposed to
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
Criminal eleme ture of urban
There is evide lOuS Al adultiS a engage the se dren in peddlin
Employme adults in the liquor and illic The illicit brewi has become a dustry in this spread in the place in the alle large towns, su ested areas ar development a lies are involve pare the brew Children do th Sales. The chil in the hope that the magistrate leniently. If a C excise offence Scene will payti Will go back to h to Statistics rec lice headquarte persons under Cise offences a
Males Females
The numbers fraction of thOS Offence. Some the business ar can purchase in have means of laws. The child who should be ir to defy the law follow the Sam forced by the na asSociate with
"quaintances, th
avenues for cirn
 
 
 
 

hts which are a feapavement Culture. nce that unSCrupuld big mudalalies vices of such chilg drugs.
it of children of illicit brewing of it tapping of trees: ng and sale of liquor most a Cottage in}ountry. It is widesense that it takes ays and by lanes of burbs, villages, forld even in the new reas. Whole famidin it; the men pre(and Women and e distribution and dren are employed if they are arrested Will deal with them hild is fined for an the man behind the he fine and the child is trade. According eived from the po}rs the numbers of 18 arrested for ex
reas follows:
1984 1985 2975 2438 345 339
arrested are only a e involved in the f the big timers in e rich, and Wealth uence, so that they circumventing the ren they employ, School are trained and Will eventually trade. They are ure Of their trade tO disreputable acus opening fresh e. Illicit liquorisas
sociated with prostitution to attract
Ore CUStOnerS.
Employment of children by adults in the illicit felling of trees and growing of ganja :- These offences are prevelent only in remote villages and in the newly colonised townships all of which are in the vicinity of forests. When confronted by the police the adult offenders often remain in the background and the children are sent to face the law in the hope that they will be treated lightly. But the real danger is that from their early years the children are trained in illegal trades, and they are not even aware that they are Committing an offence. In the case of ganja growing there is the added danger that the children will get used to the drug.
Children who work in fishing Wadiyas: These childrenaretaken from their parents by agents with promises of arosy future elsewhere or are kidnapped on their way to School. The hundreds of children reported missing and not traced by the police are very likely toiling away as bonded slaves in some suny beach. The children work in fishing camps in small remote islands off the northwesternor eastern Coast and their Whereabouts will never be known by their parents. They are employed by powerful traders to process fish in the blazing sun. They are not paid wages but are clothed and fed and they gradually learn the trade. They are virtually slaves and are never allowed to leave the camp. In one instance 8 small boys between the age 8 - 14 years were freed from a fishing camp by the Minister of Fisheries in the government.
Conductors in Private Vans: Since the privatisation of the transport system, private VanS and buS Owners beganto employ boys usually between 14 - 18 years as criers
15

Page 18
and Conductors in vehicles. A study Was Conducted by the Women's and Children's Unit of the Labour Department using a sample of 60 Such boys. Forty two of them Were between the ages of 17 and 18. Almost all of them admitted that they had received a few years of Schooling and now they felt that their parents were too poor to maintain them any more. So they had no other choice but to take up this job So as to fend for themselves and
help their parents. One boy of 12.
years said that his father was dead and mother was a daily paid labourer. He had 3 younger sisters and his mother's meagre earnings Were insufficient to Support the family. So after 3 years of schooling he stoped his education and took up this Work of Collecting passengers for a van. He gave al his earnings to his mother. His only aim Was to give his sisters a good education.
Many of them took to this job in order to tide over a difficult period till they found better and morestable employment. Some admitted that because of their poor educational standard they Could not get anything better. Since there were very few young people over 20 employed in this manner it is known what these boys did when they attained that age. Some of these boys inter
viewed admitted that their eraployers
exploited their labour. They had no regular hours or leaves for meals. They had to face abuse from the
public as well as frol e.S.
Child Beggars: Af the beggars of Sri La that begging has bec Sion and that childre for the purpose. In 1 City of Colombo alo 1438 child beggars. bers have increasec due to the influX Oft growth of organised children to stir the sy public. Moreover, th dren have been St Sudden demise ofth to natural disasters violence, have Cont increase of the child lation. The child be times used as a toC Who are bent On COl by enticing unsusp The young beggars pretend to blind or C deep sympathy, to be ContributOrS and would be sympathis are a number of Chil in courts for running begging for money jects. From professic Crime is an easy pa
Although it is clea instances the natu ment is Such that, it | foundation of a del
Contal from page 13
hospital is a reflection of the host of
obstruction, requiring even Surgi- preventable disease in childhood.
Cal intervention.
Whipworm infections which were chronic causing chronic diarrhoeas, prolapse of the rectum and malnutrition were problems in the past. E.
The new durgs are effective. Thus Gascontestinal
disorders
the Worm burden is less. But the intestinal Parasites
- Nutritional disorders prevalence in the Community is still NVodisorders
high. It reflects the lack of Sanitary
facilities as Well as the poor health
education on this topic of Worms.
The pattern of disease as seen
Over three decades in the children's
PATTERN OF DISEASES M
វិ950 1967 1972 1978 = Of
613 1252 16842388 h
c
510 600 765 647 pf 1332 434 529 273
683. 217,165 147 159 399 336 325
2168 374 4002 4219 p
1950 - C. C. de Silva, O. C. Raffel & Priyani Soysa g 1967 - S. Natiainathan and Priyani Soysa 1972-N Warnasuriya and Priyani Soysa al 1978-Margueruite Uphoff al
16
 
 
 

n the employ
ecent study of hka has shown ome a profesare exploited 976-77, in the neithere were
but the numrapidly since, Jurists and the begging using impathy of the e fact that chilranded by the air parents due and terrorist ributed to the beggar popuggar is some
pl by tricksters
lecting money ecsting people. are trained to und to evoke identify would houses where ers live. There dren produced behind tourists and Other Obonal begging to th.
r that in many re of employmay well be the inquent career
yet the Whole issue of child labOur has received low priority both by the state and by the rest of Society. The reason for this is that child labour affects the lives of poor and destitute children who are inarticulate of whose voices are never heard.
The present laws dealing with the Subject are outdated and modelled On Colonial English legislation. Even the terminology and the types of employment given in the Legislative Enactments are no longer releVant. NeW legislation should be drafted in keeping with the recent Socioeconomic changes and the new forms of exploitation of children that have emerged in the reCent past. Legal Controls should be publicised from time to time if they are to operate as restraints.
Above all the state should make every effort to ensure that the benefits of free education reaches the poor child; otherwise the whose System Would be a mockery. Children of 10 and 12 are selling lottery tickets on the streets or engaged in domestic drudgery while the state provides free education and text books from kindergarten to the University.
Strict prohibition supported by publicity and media COverage Will act as a positive disincentive. Among a literate population the use of the media and active Community Support through local grass roots Organisations can change social values.
his table as well as declining of ours, attention to deeper probRdemonstrate the effectiveness lems of childhood, inherited and the Curative Services. It appears malignant, will be second in priorat the correct health messages ity. Children themselves cannot ve not yet reached the people, mobilise the funds for priorities for
venting many diseases.
child care so that they can face the challenges of tomorrow un maimed,
he basic problems are those of unhampered by physical, mental verty, lack of resources such as and social handicaps but with their odhousing, access to food, water fullpotential for adulthood. Now We d sanitary facilities. Until these speak on behalf of those in the 2 universally available in this land world of tomorrow.
s
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 19
Gamini Jayakuru
Dr. Gamini Jayakuru, Director of the STD AIDS Control Programme in Sri Lanka. Secretary National AIDS Committee and Consultant Venereologist
Seems that most of the children who are engaged in child prostitution in Sri Lanka are boys. Some of them are as young as Seven years unlike in the case of girl prostitutes. But generally the boys seem to take up to prostitution at about the age of 12 and their active Service, if you may call it that lasts till about the age of 19-20. Thereafter they are too old for the trade. They move away from the Scene and subsequently become Managers and procure younger boys for the Same trade. In fact Some of them seem to have done pretty Well in life and now they are respectable citiZenS.
A Sociologist should make a study as to how extensive child prostitution is because we get to see only the people who get infected with Sexually transmitted diseases when they come to us seeking treatment. But that is only the tip of the iceberg. A reputable Sociologist has estimated that there are about 30,000 boy prostitutes in Sri Lanka. There is another estimate which places this number at 3,000. believe that the Correct estimate will be something in between.
Apparently Sri Lanka has a world wide reputation for boy prostitution. In fact this country is considered to be a haven for those people who
enjoy sex with Countries that lemare Philipp they have a la Who are enga tion) and Bang have seen in B. Seems to be s the children h themale prosti rather than Chi Lankait is more
Boy prostitut this trade app. Consent of the ologists haver most cases of parents are in have given the extraordinary ment and We á nicate With th Cate them ab VOVed.
Boy prostitutic lent in the area North of Negc right upto Tan more affluent richer homes Colombo. IWO is fairly Widesp ern COast line Sponds to the in and around to be mainly a tronised by th and the midd in the tourist gombo and H pOverty that into prostitutio children Who
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
 

children. Two other
nave the same probines (Where in Manila rge number of boys ged in child prostitukok. But from what angkok the age group Omewhat older than ere. There, most of (ues are young adults ldren whereas in Sri e Orless the children.
eS Seem tO Start On arently with the tacit parents. A few Socieported to me that in child prostitution the the know and they ir Consent. This is an disturbing developare trying to Commue parents and eduout the dangers in
onis generally prevais starting from a little )mbo and extending galle. There are also types coming from
in the suburbs of uld say that this trade bread along the Westwhich roughly Corretourist resort areas. Colombo this seems an activity that is pae upper middle class e class children. But resort areas like Neikkaduwa it's mainly drives these children n.There are cases of have been Sexually
assaulted and abused, becoming prostitutes later. Boy prostitutes mainly cater to tourists. Therefore We have to educate Our people about the dangers - Specially nOW with the AIDS epidemic which is Widespread in a number of Countries. The tourists Who Come from those Countries are a risk group because they may be carrying the AIDS Virus.
Child prostitution can have a number of disastrous effects on the Victims as Well as On other children associating with them. The children who engage in this trade sometimes collect a lot of money and they get used to an affluent life style. This attracts other children too who are known to drop out of School and take to prostitution as a result. Then there's the psychologiCaltraumas which these child prostitutes will go through. They may not be able to adjust themselves Once they move out of this trade. By that time they would have got addicted to the affluent life style and may be even drugs and as a result they will end up becoming young delinquents. Needless to say this is disastrous not only for the children Concerned but also for the Society as a Whole.
have not done any studies as Such on the Sociological aspects of child prostitution and my experience is limited to treating children who get infected with STDs. But based on my discussions with these children and also with Sociologists who have Carried Out Studies on these aspects, tend to think that child prostitution is a highly organised trade. In fact the children are known to be transported from one area to another depending on demand.
As to whether We Will be able to overcome the problem of child prostitution, will depend on Our healtheducation programmes-the impact it will have on the parents
Contd on page 21
17

Page 20
BOOKS AN FOR CHILDREN
by Sumana
M anythink that tuition and television have weaned children from books, putting an end to leisuretime reading. Tuition, the drag that begins at year 3 in School, has indeed deprived most children of a Very pleasant and profitable pastime, for their Out-Of-School hours are taken by treks to and from "classes". But this is not SO in the case of television. On the contrary, teledramas have kindled in many children a desire to read the story enaCited On the TV SCreen. A Classic Case in point is Amba YaluWO. Another was Hath Pana.
Children who master the art of Silent reading very early and Cultivate the reading habit, read Hath Pana and Amba Yalu Voandgo on to Madol Duwa prime favourites - before they leave primary School, despite the egging on by parents to put story books aside and Concentrate on the grade 5 scholarship exam.
What of the average child? What do they read? What books are there for the under 12s? How accessible are they to the average child?
langaratna's books including Amba YaluWO, and WickramaSinghe's Madol Duwa belong to the category of juvenile literature, which
is outside my purvie fine myself to books Children under tWely
Under 12 is a Wide reading skills, as backgronds the child This group can b roughly into three gr years, 5-8 yearS an With much Over lapp
In Sri Lanka, Childre into reading- 220 before they Complet
3-5 yearS is the age bOOK, from the initiat until the child startS Í ing, and the biggest || The only picture boO are the Geode Ga5Oz readers- which teac entertain the child.
Recently when I we the Children's Sectio bookshop, heard a man Who seemed to thirties asking a Sali ture-books- පින්තූර salesgirl was puzzl ment, and whenther that he was looking his little child the girlr are all story-books (primers) are on the there".
18
 
 
 
 

Saparamadu
W.`| Sha|| ceOnin Sinhala for
Θ.
à age group in varied as the ren COnme frOm. Sub-divided OUpS:from 3-5 d 8-12 years, ing.
en are initiated ( කියවනව0 e the 4th year.
of the pictureion into letters ormal Schoolacuna is here. okS available - elementary h rather than
S browsing in n of a leading Well-dressed be in his mid}S girl for picGa5O25. The 2d for a mohan explained for books for plied: "These මහයෝඩි පෙ0ත්
COUnter OVer
The only picture books she knew
were, obviously, readers for begin
ners with pictures and Wordsprinted in large type. That was to be expected for there are hardly any books of the kind that, that particular father WaS looking for.
There are no books for that age in a child's life. When the parent can sit him. On the lap and read the rhymes and jingles, pointing to the pictures in the book and keep him interested, may be, for half an hour. At this age-three plus - the child is already familiar with some of the rhymes and may even be able to repeat the Odd phrase.
The Only book I Wasable to pickup from a mound of books, at that bookshop, that Came anywhere near a picture-book Was Surangani Ellawala's Tikiri Liya. The illustrations are animated and the Colours bright and gay, with the text, reduced to the bare minimum, Set in atype large enough for a little child to decipher. She should have done away with the story of Bandalage Hava, and had Only the Verse, as with Tikiriliya and SG63 &S)3. The book is priced at Rs. 19.50. Alas!
It is surprising and deplorable that no publishing house has considered it worth spending on an illustrated book of rhymes, jimgles and "raban pada" etc. which are plentiful in our oral heritage. 25663 Geoce9ec (Chutľs Playhouse) written and illustrated by Sybil Wettasinghe was a delightful book for the pre-school child. Published in the mid Sixties it has long been out-of-print, not because ithas hadits day, but for reasons of Copyright. Some of her verses like කලු මාමගෙ කලු ගෙවන0 have gone out of the playhouse into the national heritage of children's rhymes.
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 21
I have seen it published in a children's weekly with no mention of the author, Whose name has passed into oblivion as the verses
passed from mouth to mouth.
Ms. Wettasinghe can take comfort from the knowledge that she has enriched our heritage of oral literature.
The lacuna of picture-books intersepersed with rhymes and jingles, and tinytales fortiny tots, is slightly - very slightly-filled by the Weeklies for the pre-school child. But these Weeklies are an ill-as
機 羲
sorted spread of rhymes and stories, Words and numerals, purporting to teach the three Rs.
Many books of poems for the pre
school child and the child in the
next age group (5-8 years) have been published, but hardly any have seen re-prints. Uninspired, banal Versifierscannotstirachild's imagination and children recognise and reject anything "written down" to them. Some lyric Writers have Succeeded. Where the versifier failed. Note how children have
taken to the s
రస్కా -
NO SOCial Cha tastes have di larity of the p Cumaratunga, and the monk Their appeal is
any poet in po
Lanka Whose anywhere nea three Writers iti His පුද්‍රියන්නෙ? 325e which w
best children's delightful piece that four and fiv to read aloud after three or illustrations ar. child's level.
Annual pooja ratunga on his and a great ta birth centenar neither his foll or the Ministry have yet thou
E
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
 
 
 
 

song ့၃ား · මැකි
nges, Or ChangeS in minished the popuOems Of MunidaSa Ananda Rajakaruna -poet i S. Mahinda. ageless. If there is st-independent Sri Compositions Come rithe poems of these is W.A. Abeysinghe. 55 geog in his 3
on the award for the
book this year, is a 2, the kind of Verse fe yearolds Will love and repeat by rote four readings. The e, alas! beyond the
s are paid to Cumadeath anniversary masha marked his y (July 1987), but Owers nor his heirs, of Cultural Affairs ight of bringing out
and illustrated edition of his eco
ĉ3 (poems fortiny-tots) or even of some of his more popular poems like මල්බඝ and හ0 හ0 හරි හටාව0.
As a child approaches the day when he/she will light his/her 6th candle, the child wants poems that conjur Scenes he/she can see with his/her inward eye and stories that are told quickly with things happening, enabling him/her to race along with the author, chuckling Of Crying.
The years 5-8 have been described as the "in-between age", When the child has out-grown the picture-book but is not yet ready for the long story.
There are books in plenty for the five to eight year olds but quality is in inverse proportion to quantity. Books for this age-group have become a profitable field for the hack writer and the hack publisher.
The impetus to book publication for this group came with the change of the medium of instruction in the primary classes to Sinhala in 1947. This change created a demand for supplementary readers in Sinhala. It was in response to this growing demand that H.D. Sugathapala, then an assistant teacher at the Royal Primary School, and an in
spired educator, brought out 2a)
geoOóo (Kuda Hora) to supplement
ment hiS 25)3) &G) readers, which
ready opened up a new vista in children's book publication.
Kuda Hora, Written and ilustrated by Sybil Wettasinghe is a landmark in the history of children's literature (Sinhala), and the water. shed in book publication. It set the pattern for children's books for this in-between age. So great was its impact, that 35 years after its publication in 1955, books for the primary school child, come out with
19

Page 22
rigid uniformity in size, lay-out, appearance, and type of lettering, all Conforming to the pattern of Kuda Hora.
Kuda Hora Was al SO a new COnception of the children's story-gay,
humorous and fun to read. It is the
fantastic and improbable happenings that hold the awakening mind in this in-betweenage, when nothing is impossible, Ms. Wettasinghe's books all have this quality which accounts for the many reprints. Her Cễ) ởổCô Q6)0 has Seen Seven re-prints in 10 years.
The International Year of the Child (1979) was a fillip to aspiring-writers, and more books for this agegroup have been published in the 80s than in all the 33 years since the Switch Over to Sinhala in Schools. After IYC came a spate of trivial and imitative stories, uninspired, repititive and boring and shoddy in lay-out and production.
There is an awareness among parents and teachers of the need for more varied and better children's books, and there are no end of seminars and Workshopson book production and writing for children. Prizes are offered for the Best Children's Book of the year, awards ranging from the prestigious Sahitya Award of the Ministry of Culture to National Youth Council Awards, Book Council Awards, and awards by publishing companies. The phrase es©SDoS) 3:5), "award winner' is printed on the title page of these books to make them appear to give the best to the child while, in many cases, actually of fering the Worst.
The 80s brought a flood of the Worst and the most tasteless children's story books ever produced in this country. A few exceptions are d2S3 coeo as6)c50 written by Krishna Tennakoon, and illustrated
by Surangani Ella Disanayaka's posth
| lished හින් නුවණ
Abeynayaka's 325 Cultural Council's "Best Book' in IYC. A what didactic-teachi animals-children Will pected ending most
The Ministry of C and the NatiOnal BO( a Certain number of Writers meet their but has this aid bee to better Writing an production? My Car that it has helped Writer and hack pub
Parents, teachers erS Seem to believe not for pure pleasi dren's reading mate a purpose, must im lift. They are unable an imaginative stol entirely on its own pose or moral, that and enjoyed by ch any detrimental effe
And so the book Workshops, and b have participated in Seminars, lack the b of a children's storyA child will read a favourite books and reading his delight instead of dulled.
Who buys these b Not children. Child books. Do kids hav now necessary top: or 20 page book? ent-Oriented and te books. The adults the large type, the
20
 
 

Wala, Hubert umously pub5 and Viraj 525,535, the Award for the though SOmeng kindness to find the unexSatisfying.
ultural Affairs, bk Council buy books to help printing-COsts, n an in Centive d better book did opinion is many a hack lisher.
and even Writthat books are ure, that chillriel must have prove and upto accept that y Could exist i Without purit can be read ildren without CtS.
s produced at | Writers who workshops and asic ingredient its readability. hd re-read his With eachfresh
is increased
OOKS anyway? ren never buy e.the Rs. 20/- y fora 16 page These are paracher-oriented ure taken in by :olours, the 'be
good-do good' message and the Complete absence of dread and fear.
Parents, grand-parents, aunts and uncles give these book as giftsbooks that instruct them in rites they already know, and repeat for children their routines-getting dressed, going to School etc, books
that tell simple-minded tales and
stories that anthorpomorphize animals in maudlin WayS. No horror, no Wonder, no fantasy.
But the child is enticed by the Comics- the Öo 2SOO, sneaked into the home by older siblings, which fulfill their thirst for adventure, terror, danger, Suspense, fear and fancy. These č925) zodbo are alaSaCCompanied by sadism and Worse, by ghastly Writing.
By the time the child has passed his 8th year, if no well-written exciting books have been given him/ her, he/she, Soon becomes a voracious reader of Comics- 50
කථ0.
There are fewer but better books for the last group8-12 years-fewer because it is not as easy to Write a story that runs into 40 or 48 pages as it is to hash up something to fill 12, or 16 pages. So, only these With a love and flair for Writing have attempted the longer story.
In an essay Such as this Written at very short notice, and in the Span allowed, one cannot do more than call attention to outstanding books the Writer can recall.
One that Stands Out, in narration, illustration and production, among
the books of the 80s, is ges. 36.30 by E. Gallotuwa.
Lal Premanath de Mel's a)25) cogs)d is available but not Father
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 23
Don Peter's SOSIOGOZS) çóGSO3 a book greatly in demand but, for SOme unknown reason, not re
printed. Rowen de Costa's 25956 S2SDOõCSO published 30 years ago has seen many reprints, the latest with a jazzed up cover and colour illustrations, Although the title page says it is for grades 2 and 3, it is one of the better books for children in grades 5 and 6.
Cumaratunge wrote his cozs as e6 මගුල් කෑම and හීන් සැරය for children in grades 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Children who attended Sinhala Schools in the thirties, apparently had the ability to read and the capacity absorb and enjoy what they were offered at those particular age-levels, but not the modern child. There is too much 'play-way' in his learning. So they will have to wait until they are in the sixth or seventh year in School,
to read there classics
More that sixty years have passed since Cumaratunge wrote these three stories for children, and they still remain the high water-mark in Our children's literature. Animal characters have always been apart of the Sinhalachild's world of fancy
Viz හ0වයි නරිය, Cumaratunge W. pomorphazising tale haS CdOne.
é525 cóco ar neth Grahams
lOWS", a WOrld Cl;
This then is th books for sale to uity of dull, shC Vents parents an ing aware of the have always be
HOW accessible child Who Wants will buy books i highly priced. W bookshops in Si MOnth-When bO( discount prices. tain that with the and the 40% dis by bookshops, i price even a 16 than Rs. 18 or R
In the bigger Sch a regular "library do exist in rura present writer's many Headmas treSSes are more the audit checks anSWerable for r
Contd froт page 17
will be the decisive factor. If the parents can be persuaded to keep the children away from tourists and if they are able to manage economically without the money these children earn through prostitution then this problem can be handled. But if on the other hand the necessary impact of our educational programmes are not felt in these sensitive areas (the coastal belt
from Kochchik. galle) and if the ately need the dren bring in th problem will cor know there aren programmes to prostitutes eithe Finally I mus aspect of child at both male childr dren. We Can't
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

3, 236 6);25)0 etc. nt further, anthroanimals as no folk
&G2G 26); 3) and
» on par With KenWind in the Wi
SSiC.
e Standard of the day, and the ubiqddy books, predChildren beCOm! goodbooks that en available.
2 are books to the to read? Parents f they are not so itness the rush to eptember-Sahitya bks are offered at Publishers mainhigh cost of paper sCount demanded t is impossible to page book at less (S. 20 to-day.
ools children have period'. Libraries Schools but the observation is that ters and Headmis2 Concerned about when they will be missing books than
de to about Tanparents despermoney these chilen l Suppose this tinue. As far as tanyrehabilitation
help these child
refer to another buse. This involves in and female chilblame that on the
with inculcating the reading habit in Children.
Why do publishers bring outbooks
so dull in content and shoddy in make-up? Often the text submitted by an aspiring Writer and accepted by a publisher, is passed on to the printerfor setting. The printer does it his own way or as his fancy dictates, with no thought of the agegroup it is intended for.
Ambitious writers are in a hurry to get their books printed and published, and to keep printing costs down, reduce the number of illustrations to the minimum.
When a reviewer Comments on the book's unsuitability for children of that particular age group, the Writerispiqued: a jealous rival has Written this review or got it written'.
The lack of unbiased and intelligent reviewing has been One of the principle barriers to better books,
to any improvement in the selec
tion of reading material and the production of books for children. It is also one of the main reasons why many parents remain unaware of the better books for the Sons and daughters.
tourists or foreigners, it is something that is done by our own people. Most of these people who abuse children sexually are mentally sick. Now that is worrying. I have seen children under one year who have been sexually abused sometimes by the parents and sometimes by close relations and domestics. So the age range is from under one year to about nine or ten years for the type of sexual abuse.
(Based on an interview)
21

Page 24
STREET
CHILDREN - AN ove
by
My name is Raja. have aborOther .
Sujith, older to me and a sister, Renuka youngerto me. My mother, brother and sister moved away from my father about ten years ago. They began to live on the streets. was with my father for a few years but life was intolerable. Then joined my mother. We all live on the streets now. I have had six years of schooling. My brother had only two. My sister has never been to School and she is now following classes to make her ready to go to School. am now 15 years and my brother is 16. We cannot get back to school now. We are now learning a trade in a workshop. We will have our own workshop when we grow up. My mother lives on the charity of other people. When we have a little free time after trade-classes We Collect old tincans and sell them to Supplement the family income. We have some money we get while we are learning a trade. Last Week the few clothes my brother and I had Were stolera. I have a step-father and he ill treats us.
Raja, Sujith and Renuka the names are fictitious but the Words are those of a child aged 15 years who live on the Streets of Colombo, represent the hundreds of street children in Sri Lanka and of the millions in the World.
Accurate and even recorded Statistical data are not available to
assess the magni lem or the proporti
dren, whether the the Street - Worki still have family C more or less regul dren of the Street to is the home. .
For practical pu cept of street child any minor Who ap Out adequate prote Street has becom abOde.
Public attention in focussed on the grant problem for the early part oft Cording to Session of 1906 there W. homeless Vagrants Indian origin who placed from the e. House of Detention on 1 April 1913. Int inter - ministerial held to discuss the which was they “SOCial nuisance”. into the problem V the middle of 1941 terminated in Weiw ters Connected Wit
The House of De be administered by of Social Services tablished on the re. of the Social Servic of 1947.
22
 
 
 
 
 
 

RVIEW
Tyrrell Cooray
ude of the probon of Street chily be children on ng children Who onnections of a ar nature-Orchilwhom the Street
rposes the conis understood as pears to be withaction in that the le his/her usual
Our COUntry WaS Deggar and Vathe first time in he Century. AC|al Paper XLIX are nearly 700 mainly of South had been disStates. The first Was established he year 1941 on conference Was beggar problem described as a An investigation was mounted in Out was abruptly of urgent matn the war effort. tention came to the Department Which Was esCommendations
es Commission -
A study done by Redd Barna in 1986 on the Situation of 228 street
Children in three main areas in the
city of Colombo where street children concentrate showed that 63 per Cent of them belonged to the 11-15 years age group. Most of the children were in the Critical School going age of 6 to 15 years.
FINDINGS
Some of the main findings of the survey are (1) the majority of the Street children are drawn into the street world from the poverty stricken areas of the city and its suburbs. (2) the problem in the family environment and related economic difficulties have pushed a Considerable number of children into the streets. (3) most of the parents were engaged in extremely low income jobs that do not provide them with the capacity to support families (4) large number of street children have not a formal education (5) many street children are engaged in OCCupations which provide them with meagre daily income for which they had to toil hard (6) many children want to learn and acquire skills and engage in
productive professions (7) many of
them want to learn and engage in productive OCCupations.
A survey mounted by the Colombo Municipal Council in April 1988 showed a total of 1651 persons on the Streets of Colombo of which number 1148 were single individuals While 503 were in family Units.
There is no legal provision in Sri Lanka which entails a prohibition on begging. However some of the provisions of the Vagrants Ordinance implies a prohibition on begging. The Ordinance says "every person being able to maintain himself by Workorother means, but who shall wilfully refuse or neglect so to do, and shall wander
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 25
abrador place himself in any public place, Street, highway, COUrt, or passage to beg or gather alms, or cause or procure, or encourage any of his family Soto do, excepting priests and pilgrims in performance of their religious VOWS shall be deemed an idle and disorderly persons. Such persons are liable to be punished."
PROJECTS
Agencies and projects in differint parts of the World address the issue of street children and street youth in different Ways. In Our Own Country The House of Detention at Gangoda Willa and Ridiyagama (Dept. of Social Services) and the House of Detention formerly at Koggala and presently at Hikkaduwa (Dept. of Probation and Child Care) are the only government sponsored institutions offering residential facilities for those who fall into the Category of Vagrant. The definition of the term Vagrant under the provisions of the House of Detention Ordinance is (a) any person found asking for alms (b) any persons not being physically able to earn, or being unwilling to work for, his own livelihood and having no visible means of Subsistence. A non-governmental agency - Badulla Social Services District Committee offer a
sort of night shelter and rehabilitation facilities for Street families.
The House of Detention at Hikkaduwa is exclusively for children while Gangodawila offers facilities for children and older groups. These institutions offer rehabilitation measures to those who come into residence with a view to integrating them into the wider Society.
Save the Children Fund (UK), Redd Barna (Norwegian Save the Children Fund), the Colombo City
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
Mission a group (the Sisters of Pe the Dept of Pro Care Services off facilities for stree Barna the City Mis Work in Colombo, Colombo and Ka ious nuns work in ties include day fives, literacy C Schoolers and S skills developme dren, healthCare eration. Program and implementec cies as re-educat alter attitudes Of Wean these chi negative Ways ol Offered to hUnd victims of circul Chance is given i permanently from of dependency ar future. Another ( programmes is ti tude of harsh ir wider Society ar respOnSe.
These program the Voluntary par people and ther The facilities are residential basis enabling strategy pation. The bei project will not r will become part aided help - he starting point a needs of the chi protection, care : for a better future
An attemptism requirements of most urgent area health, nutrition,
 
 
 
 

of religious nuns rpetual Help) and bation and Child er non-residential et Children. Redd SSion and DPCCS UK Save Workin ndy and the religNegombo. Activi
Care for underclasses for nonschool drop-outs, nt for older chil, and inCOme genmes are designed d by these agenional strategies to dependency and ldren away from life. A way out is reds of helpleSS mstances. A fair Othem to escape their Current state hd shape their own objective of these O change the attidifference of the ld get a humane
mes are based On ticipation of street e is no coercion. provided on a nons. They use an based on particineficiaries of the 9ceive charity but ners in the form of p. Of course, the e the immediate ld - food, shelter, andan opportunity
ade to answerthe the child in the sincluding safety, emOtional de Vel
opment and Vocational training. ACCeSS is facilitated to schooling and medical assistance. The proj
ect would teach the children an
honest job and enable them to earn
areasonable Wage that Would carry
the child into adulthood. These pro
grammes aim to develop in the
youngest the Capacity to judge the
adult would around him/her Criti
cally.
These agencies offershelter, care,
education and training, in various Combinations. They are aware that these Street children and Street youth have been deprived — perhaps Cruelly cheated - of some aspects of normal childhood and early development and an attempt is made to restore to these victims of circumstances in Some measure those aspects.
These Combinations are part of the total attempt to assistand guide the family in the building of a dwelling with regular employment and a home of their own.
SIZE OF THE PROBLEM
What is evident from Studies and from the experience of people Working with street families is that this is a mounting problem. The children inhabit the Streets in Search of money to support themselves and frequently to assist in the support of their families as well. POVerty, difficult living conditions in the home and family fragmentation Could be identified as the main causes of their being on the streets.
The majority of street children have families. But these families are unable or unwilling to meet the basic needs of their offsprings. As a Consequence the older boys and the girls must leave their home to look for some way to produce inCome. They have to spend long hours working and living on the
23

Page 26
Streets. These children have their own troubles. It is not comfortable to sleep on the hard, dirty pavement. While they are on the streets they are without the protection of the family and the community. They are therefore, very vulnerable not only to economic exploitation but they are exposed to sexual exploitation as well and serious physical and moral dangers. The situation of the girls in its scope and gravity are more pronounced than that of the boys.
These marginalized children are often seen as petty thieves, hooligans, good — for nothings, ruffians and parasites. This may be true in Certain cases but certainly not true in all cases. They are struggling for Survival, they are carving for affection, they have no aim in life and they are trying to identify with their parents, family and community. Street children and street youth live from hand to mouth, from one mo"ment to the next. As a result some of the areasin which they are totally lacking are respect for property, self discipline and the idea of planning overtime. On the streets these children meet their peers and this allows compensation for emotional and otherforms of deprivation. The street allows a variety of experiences. All this means that these children mature too quickly for their age and emotional level.
The removal of a child from his/ her accustomed environment can be a response. This has been a Conventional response at that. To separate a child from his home and community and to place him/her in a situation of total dependency can only increase his/her Social isolation. Moreover he/she will lose even the Street skills that help him/her make his/her way in a harsh and often hostile World. He/she will return to the same situation in Which he/she was and he/she will be less
able to deal with children need more of the communitya
An alternative re. COver ways to hel
lead a productive a their own environn family and comm reinforced and this isolation. They co with the means a necessary to de initatives and build Selves.
OUTCOMES
It is a productive e provision in all pro children to be hea pate to some deg ning of activities COUrSeOf action hel ing down their se and allowsthema develop their own thrust then is not t dren but gently gui tive opportunities any wise parent W
There are people these children. Th who believe that spective of Where right to a happy Work these people ing. This work den able interest time Work with street rare degree of CO and perSeveran gramme, strategy established to hel must enjoy credib Community in whic ated and the child
Work with street ( parts of the World r
24.
 

it. Marginalized eaCCeSS to more no its resources.
sponse is to disO Street children undhealthy life in ent. Their ties to unity could be WOuld breaktheir
uld be provided
ind the services felop their own afuture for them
2xercise to make grammes for the rd and to particiree in the planfor them. This ps them in breaknse of isolation place for them to | initiatives. The O direct the childe him into posiand this is what Ould d'O.
! Who Care about here are people all Children irethey are have a childhood. The 2 do is demandmands COnsiderand dedication. people require a urage, initiative ce. Any proor mechanism Othese children ility by both the ch they are situren they serve.
children in many not including Our
own Country hs shown that a Community - based approach is possible - an approach that helps children develop and succeed in the Context of their own families and Communities. There is no need to be bound to a narrow model. There is a great deal of flexibility possible. Of course, within diversity these are Commonalities.
We would identify some outcomes One Would expect to be produced in Work with Street children. These outcomes could be grouped as (1)
physical outcomes such as () improvement in general health obtained mainly through adequate nutrition and access to Curative and preventive health care. and (ii) access to shelter and clothing (2) emotional Outcomes - access to adults accepted by the child and who serve as positive role-models to Whom the child Could relate and With whom he/she could establish feelings of affection and respect for adults who would stimulate his/her self-esteem and identity. (3) educational/intellectual outcomes such as () school attendance until at least functional literacy and other skills for independent living are attained. (ii) development of a critical capacity sufficient for questioning and judging reality and judging the World around him and finally (4) economicoutcomes-improvement of income through organized Work while providing protection against exploitation and moral dangers with the added result of contributions by the child to the improvement in the material quality of life of the family.
The thrust in a programme strat
egy for street children is to help
children take themselves from marginalization to full participation and personal development.
Street children have to be given a chance to help create themselves.
Contd on page 25
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 27
JUVENILE
DELINQUENCY AN
REHABILITATION OF
Ciden tend to beCOme delinquents due to lack of proper guidance and adequate protection. Therefore, a programme at national leve to rehabilitate SUCh Children are very much in need today. Advice was sought from Great Britain in this regard, and Mr. J. V. Hill, a I child specialist from the country, came to Sri Lanka in 1952 and started a programme of rehabilitation of delinquents. In order to extend this programme a Department of Probation and Child Care was set up in 1956.
Mr. Hill introduced the system of Certified Schools in Sri Lanka for delinquents by starting the Certified School at Hikkaduwa. Its aim Was to admit children between the years of 12 to 16 who had got involved in illegal activities. This
Conid from page 24
The question is do we have to offer - Services to these young people or do we have to serve them?
Security and a healthy environment Coupled with proper underStanding of their probelms can make a Steet child or street youth to be indistinguishable from his more fortunate Contemporaries. It is said that when nature and nurture are reconciled. youngsters with the grimmest histories Can show an astonishing power ofrecuperation
was to be don processandthe the character of positive Way.
A pilot prograr on juvenile deli throughout the mented at Hikka numberofjuveni admitted reache
it was difficult a large number institution. Ther fied Schools W. quently at diffe island. Local of Great Britain a Carry on with th
At this time th fence Committe CulentS WaS aC Minor offences ence to parent addiction to Smc intrains, loiterin from School. The ance was adeq those children. also effective b adequate hum
eSOUCeS.
Though rehab very popular at 1979 onwards speedy decline indicated by th
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
 
 
 
 
 
 

CHILDREN
e through a legal object was to mould these children on a
mme Concentrating nquents scattered island was impleduwa. By 1960 the ledelinquentsthus 2d 736.
to rehabilitate Such of children in one efore, Seven Certiere set up Subsearent places in the Ficials were Sent to nd were trained to e management.
le mOst SeriOUS Ofed by child delints of minor thefts. included disobediS, aggressiveness, ke, ticketlesstravel gand running away erefore simple guiduate to rehabilitate Rehabilitation was ecause there were an and maternal
litation project was the beginning from there has been a of such projects as
following data.
These data show how Certified Schools have been closed down from year to year and how the number of child offenders benefitting from rehabilitation decreased. There has not been a corresponding decline in juvenile delinquency.
A major reason for this state of affairs the laws have not been changed adequately with the pass of time. Although the laws and regulations relating to many other spheres of activity have been revised to Suit the requirements of the times, the laws relating to juvenile delinquents have not been revised for the last forty five years. Under the provisions of the law only a police officer or the relevant officer of the Municipal Council (in the case of a city) can arrest a child delinquent and bring him/her before acourt of law. Due to this shortComing in the law the number of juvenile delinquents who are Subjected to rehabilitation is going down steadily.
25

Page 28
There should be close COOrdination between the police, the judiciary, the prisons and the Department of Probation and Child Care. But unfortunately the reality is from this. In fact, the Coordination that should existespecially between the prisons and the Probation Department appears to be declining in the recent times. According to the provision in the law every delinquent child of less than sixteen years must be sent to a certified School. Instead more and more Such children are being Sent to prison as its shown in the table.
40-503
Year Male Females Total
1983 927 121 1,048 1984 8O8 113 921 985 485 78 513 1986 453 - 96 549 1987 486 91 577
Source: Administrative Report of the
Prison Department (1987)
Due to the shortening in the law, relating to child delinquents these 3,668 children have been deprived of their fundamental rights. The law specifies that children should not be kept with adult prisoners because they might be subjected to molestation by the adults or might start imitating the adults. But this Condition has not been fulfilled.
The manner in which young children become delinquents has changed greatly. Today city streets have become training camps for juvenile delinquents. The tendency Of mothers to leave their children and seek foreign employment, the homosexual practices which have invaded the country mainly due to tourism, and the use of narcotics have created fertile breeding grounds for juvenile delinquency. Although new delinquent tendencies have emerged among the young, legal provisions or programmes to combat those tendenCie:S have not COme intO exiSten Ce.
26
Drug Abuse anc
A major challen dren today is narC are addictedtOd able Statistics are
Age Group Y.
2230 9 30-40 6S
50-60 Above 60 8
2,
number of these g rising rapidly but tutions to provid necessary treatm able. Whether the sations which pro äny sympathy f However, society tion to these pers
There are no su in which children who are addicted receive indoor tre: able non-govern are not at all adec of child prisoners This Situation is li in the future. Ther tial to make use Cated for the purp neW means of tre Another major fac is illiteracy. The le those who have b juvenile delinquer
Those who never
R.
2. Those who went
- or three years bu"
3. Those who have
education and Ca
4. Those who have
upto the 8th year
 
 
 
 

| Rehabilitation ge to young chilotics. Thousands Ugs although relinot available. The
What these statistics prove is that illiteracy and ignorance have greatly Contributed to child delinquency.
Another fact Or COntribute to delinduency is the mother being sent to prison for some offence. The number of mothers who were imprisoned in the last few year as follows:
bar 1983 Year 1984
O97. 709 314 169 90
186
2,381
Year 1985 Year 1986 Year 1987
1,133 1407 1294 748 957 823 286 573 388 118 13 172 63 8 80
2,348 3,138 2,837
jetting addicted is there are no instie these with the ent. It is questionvolunteer organiVide SerViCeS have or these people. | must pay attenSOS.
itable institutions
below 16 years to narOctics Can atment. The availment in StitutionS luate. About 50% are drug addicts. kely to get Worse efore it is essenOf the funds alloOse and to Create ätment. -
itfordelinguency vels of literacy of een identified aS Its are as follows:
went to School 1.6%
O school for two
are illiterate 64%
received primary n write their name
gone to School
02%
O0%
The children of Such mothers deprives of these cases and protection go astray and most of them end up by becoming servants of the underworld and later a delinquents. imprisonment of mothers, more than that of fathers, affects young children adversely.
Those families troubled by quarrels and disunity in the family, imprisonment of mother or father, or death or remarriage of mother or father are identified as disorganised families. These disorganised families also have become a Serious contributory factor to the spread of juvenile delinquency.
A change in type
In the act the juvenile delinquents came from uneducated families. A
Contd. on page 39
SSS
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 29
THE CURRENT
STATE OF EDUCATIC
SRI LANKA
By H. L. Hemachandra (Research Department People's Bank)
introduction
Article 27 of Sri Lanka's Constitution states "Complete eradication of
illiteracy and assurance to all persons of the right to universal and equal access to education at all levels."
All Successive Sri Lankan governments since Independence have launched various programmes to improve School enrolment and to reduce educational disparities. These include free education from the Kindergartento University, expansion of education through a network of primary and secondary schools spread throughout the island, introduction of mother tongue as a medium of instruction at all levels, provision of scholarships, common curriculums including Science and English;and provision of free textbooks and midday meal. These programmes have contributed to the rapid expansion in school enrolment over the last five decades.
In 1989 about 2.1 million children were errolled from school year 1 to year 5 and about 1.4 million children were enrolled from school year 6 to year 10. Total number of children who
were in school from school year 1 to 10
in that year was about 3.5million. School participation rate among children in Compulsory school going age group of 5- 14 years have increased from 57.6% in 1946 to 71.6% in 1953 and 75.1% in 1963 and decreased to 65.3% in 1971 and again increased to 83.7% in 1981. This indicates a general increase of 26.1% in school participation among 514 years age group over the past threeand-a half decades. The decrease in
1971 vares mainly c the minimum sch School participatic group has increas from about 1 1 % in in 1981.
Apart from this national levelthere ments in enrolme sectors of gender sectors and distric 2. However, scho in almost all the
Pe
Al Age Group Island
5-14 65.3
i5-19 34.5
Source: Census of Popu
! --
and Eastern pro Come down durin owing to the viol areaS.
Disparities in among the subgr down over the la instance hardly a seen in School e boys and girls. Th rural children as V
Despite all the ments Sri Lanka i
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
 
 
 
 

jue to the change in ool admission age. In rate of 15-19 age ed by about four fold 1946 to about 42%
general increase at have been improvent at the level of Sub , age, geographical sts - see Table 1 and ol participation rates districts in Northern
ing universal level of School participation among children in 5-14 age group. In 1981 16% or one out of every 6 children within this age group was not in school. Further 58% or 6 out of every 10 children of 15 - 19 age group were Out of School. There seems to be a stagnation or a slight decrease in child literacy in 1980's. Literacy rate of children within 10-14 age group has decreased by 1% from 89.8% in 1981 to 88.8% in 1985/86.
During the same period literacy rate of those who are within 15-19 age group has decreased by 1.4%. (See table 3).
Non admittance and dropouts
Children Who are not attending school can be divided into two main categories - children who have not been admitted to school and School drop outs. In 1985 /86 of the children within 5 - 14 age group 13% had not been admitted to
197鲁
Male Female
66.8 63.7 3.1
36.5 32.4 4.1
lation and Housing 1971 and 1981.
Table 1 - 'cetage of Children Attending School by Age Group and Sex 1971 & 1981
Difference
1981 All
island Male Female Difference
83.7 83.8 83.7 0.
41.9 412 42.7 -15
Vinces Would have g the last few years ent conflict in those
school participation oups have also gone st few decades. For ny difference can be 2nrolment between is goes for urban and Vell.
se positive develop3 Stil far from achiev
school or had not received any school education (See table 4). However part of these children who belong to 5 - 9 age group were admitted to school later as late comers. Children who had not received school education till they reached 10 years of age generally will never be admitted to the School in the future. In 1985/86 of the total number of children within 10 - 14 age group 4.2% had not received any school education. In 15 - 19 age group this percentage was 6.5.
During the School Census year 1986 1874.25% of the total student popula
27

Page 30
tion from school year 1 to 9 (which corresponds to the 5-14 age group) had dropped out. (See table 5). This rate varied from year to year. Relatively
a large percentage of children leave the school system after G.C.E (O.L.) and G.C.E. (A.L.) examinations. This reveals that drop out rates are higher among older children. The drop out rate among boys is higher than among girls - unlike other Asian and developing countries. In addition to non enrolment there is an educational wastage consisting of repetition and absenteeism. These incidences take place more among children from poor socio-economic background attending schools which have relatively less facilities.
The enrolment rate is at allow level at the beginning of the School admission age - 5 years. After the peak level at age 9 enrolment rate begins to decrease due to increasing drop out rates and absence of new admissions.
Since the education of children is highly formalised in SriLanka for proper development of literacy and numeracy, a child should complete primary education. Any changes in the enrolment rate of primary level, particularly at early primary level, reflect corresponding changes in the literacy rate in the same age group currently andin youngerage groups in the future. School education develops skills and provide a foundation for self learning. Therefore children who do not complete at least primary education lose these opportunities of acquiring knowledge and information which will serve to improve the quality of their lives. To obtain any vocational training successfully primary or secondary education is a pre requirement.
Therfore a child Whi primary education more disadvantage level of the labour
Contrary to the g are pockets in the C children who are m economically and
as urban slums an Settlements and ren
On the educational going children of Shanties in Colomb that 19.3% of the Within 6 - 8 age children within 9never been to Sch Conducted in a Se (old villages and reveals that 14.4% 6 - 8 age group children. Within 6-14 in school. Accordin and Socio-econom in the estate Sect age group and 24 group had neverb
28
 
 
 

o does not Complete
becomes relatively deven at the lowest market.
eneral trends there tountry consisting of ost disadvantagededucationally such di Shanties, eStateS, note villages. A study
Reasons for Non Schooling
At the national level analysis many studies indicated that the main reason for children not attending school are the cost and the oppotunity cost of education. Mass poverty prevent the utilization of available educational facilities. Although free education, text books and midday meals are provided, it is difficult for poor parents to spend money on childrens' admission fees, facilities fees, clothes, stationery and other requirements.
The existence of child labour in its Various forms is another factor Which prevents these children from schooling. The drop out rate is higher among boys than among girls mainly because more employment opportunities are available for boys than for girls.
Lack of adequate interest on the part of parents or guardians is another main reason for children not attending school. indifference towards education is linked to the low educational level of these adultSand their aWarene SS aStO hOWtO use the educational facilities available in their areas.
needs of non "School Selected slums and ocity in 1984 shows sample of children group and 9.8% of 14 age group had ool. A similar study t of interior villages colonies) in 1985 of the children within and 19.9% of the kage group were not g to the Labour Force nic Survey 1985/86 or 46.6% of the 5-9 .9% of 10 -14 age een to School.
Table 5
Dropout Rates by School year in government Schools 1986?87
School year Male Female Total
2 O.7 O7 O.88 3 2.18 2.05 2.12 4. 3,40- a 2.69 3.06 5 5.85 4.52 5.21 6 6.67 5.30 6.01 7 7.60 4.98 6.30 8 714 5.29 6.2甘 9 8.24 6.03 7.甘 2-5 2.98 2.50 2.72 6-8 7.廿2 5.9 6.17 2-9 4.74 3.73 4.25
Source: School Census 1987, Ministry of Education
ECONOMICREVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 31
Health facilities too Contribute to the non schooling of children. It is estimated that 0.5%and 11.8% of the children in the 6 - 11 age group are suffering from acute malnutrition and chronic malnutrition respectively. These perCentages for those who are in the 1223 age group are 10.8% and 24.8%. Poverty and indifference of parents have a strong impact on child malnutrition. Provision of midday meal in the form of biscuits, kola-kenda (and later granting money for mid day meal) to school going children has not yet had the desired impact on strengthening their nutritional status.
Inadequacies of the formal education System too contributes to keeping children out of school. Children of low income families are mostly concentrated in disadvantaged schools - schools Without proper material facilities, a qualified teaching staff and adequate sanitary facilities. In addition to these, class room environment and teaching methods in these schools are unattractive to retain pupils. Though Such Schools can be seen in both the urban Sector and the rural Sector they are more Common in remote areas and estates. The long distance between the School and home in remote villages also contribute to children (particularly small children who are too young to walk long distances alone) not being able to attend school. Though 95% of the 98.05 schools in the country have primary classes, nearly 15% of primary School going age children have no Schools within two miles of their homes. (1989 figures)
In Settlements and in Some rural areas where paddy cultivation is the main economic activity a child is a high valuable economic input. Since school calendar is not adjusted according to the economic activities, high absenteeism is recorded during peak cultivation Seasons in these areas. This also reSults in these children dropping out from School at early stages. In estates, there is a high demand for children as paid labour and domestic Workers. Schools in this sector generally have only primary grades. These result in low school enrolment / participation and early drop outs.
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
Absence of death, migratior employment an Versely affects dren - Specially economically dis Non availability ( children is acom families and as a admitted to Schc tions, negative f Cation and lacko of their children among these pal level and OCCupa environment ar available and the also Contributory
Non Forma E
Non formal edu important role a who are not going NOn FOrma|EdUI istry of Educati formal education "literacy classes' dren. However, these Centres has and a large per limited to OW inc in the Colombo about 2% of outc. country benefitf evaluation of th revealed that the Centres Were as II) and 78% (a expansion and Centres is need
Pre Schools
Pre-Schools pr next stage-scho attitudes and ps adapt to the ne School. in Sri Lal are expanding a to le SS than 25% pre School goir years. While mc are Conducted non governmen jority of the best
 
 

arents as a result of to Middle East for desertion also adhe schooling of chilin the socially and advantaged families. f Birth Certificates for non incidence in these result children are not ol at all. Low aspiraeelings towards eduhope about the future are relatively hgher ents. The educational tion of parents, home ld material facilities size of the family are factors.
ducation
cation can play a very mong these children jto school. In 1981 the Cation Unit of the MinDn introdUCed a non programme-part time for Out of School chilby now the number of
increased only upto 325
centage of them are :ome neighbourhoods
city. Therefore only If Schoolchildren in the rom these Centres. An ese Centres in 1986 drop out rates in these high as 28% (at level it level III). The rapid development of these 2d today.
epare children for their ol by developing their ychological abilities to W environment in the nkathough pre Schools hdat present they cater of the children within g age group of 1-4 }st of these institutions Oy private Sector and tal organizations, malOre Schools are limited
to upper class and middle class children in the urban areas. The majority of the children of pre school going age in Socially and economically disadvantaged families in the rural sector and estate sector do not have this opportunity. Even in the available pre schools in these Sectors most of the teachers do not have any training or the adequate knowledge and skills. Sincethere is a clear gap between School environment and home environment of disadVantaged and under privileged families in these sectors, lack of proper pre school facilities contributes to the high rate of early School drop outs among these children.
Tuition
Over the last decade tuition classes for School children have rapidly expanded. Earlier tuition was given to a very limited number of children for the subjects only in which their performance was inadequate. But today the majority of school going children (even from early primary grades) attend tuition classes - Sometimes for all the Subjects they learn in School. Peak levels of participation in tuition are at Grade 4 (School year 5) where the government examinations are held to select children for scholarship and in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 where the children prepare for G.C.E (O.L.) and G.C.E. (A.L.) examinations. This type of mass participation intuition is partly a result of increased competition for the limited number of opportunities for higher education and for jobs. Tuition also has become a fashion and a psychological need of both parents and children to a certain extent. According to a study on tuition in 1982 children in high income families in urban areas have access to more efficient tuition than their counterparts.
Most of the tuition classes prepare children for examinations and train them to learnthings for a short period of time instead of developing their knowledge properly. Since tuition takes up a Considerable time in a child's life the child has no time for leisure, recreation and for the development of other skills. Thus the way it is currently constructed the tuition system partly distorts the school system.
Conto. on page 39 s
29

Page 32
ETECONC
THE GULF CRISIS
THE SRI LANK SOME REF
The Background
The Middle East is the natural Crossroads of the "old World" or the Afro-Eurasian land mass and the new World - Europe. It is also the "land of the seven Seas". Its main resource is oil. About two-thirds of the world's known oil reserves are in this area. Middle East is also a living mosaic of physical types, beliefs, Systems, languages and Cultures.
On August 2, the Iraqi army entered into the neighbouring Kuwait and occupied that tiny oil rich sultanate. Indeed as events unravelled from day todayatan alarming pace, it was crystal clear that no nation would be left untouched by this move. Saudi Arabia's rulers fearful that Saddam Would attack them next agreed to an American request fortrOop deployment. Refugees began pouring across borderS tO Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jor
dan, Turkey, Sri Lanka, India, theo
Philippines, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Thus events in the Gulf is and iwill Continue to affect. Third World Countries like Sri Lanka deeply. The Beginning of the End of the
ge of Oil Iraq's invasion of Kuwait will go down in human history as the beginning of the end of the Age of Oil.
] By Ariya Ab
A historic shift is in in the Persian Gulf like the norm than The World is realizi rely exclusively on
Therefore, the Wor respond to this Cr. Certed hunt for at ing with non-OPEC Cal, because the
provides 39% of ergy, more than an will be a staple oft omy for decades which is the Seconc provider With 28% with 21% can quic particularly as atra
But explores aret enough new oil res OPEC a non factor After the oil price h the industry mour ning explorationar Campaign Outside duced Some news Mexico, Alaska anc This together with brought down the 1986. But then the ( and non-OPEC CO duction Could not this increasing der Consuming count
30
 
 

LLGLG S
THE WORLD AND AN ECONOMY: LECTIONS
leysinghe [
the air. Disorder is looking more the exception. ng that it cannot Middle East oil. d Willmost likely isis With a Conernatives, Start} oil. That's logidark goo that the World's eny other sources, he global econ. Neither Coal, largest energy of natural gas, :kly replace oil, Sportation fuel.
n't likely to find Ources to make in World energy. likes of the 70's, ited a rig-spinld development OPEC that prosuppliers, mainly the North Sea. Conservation, prices of oil in demand revived untries oil proKeep pace with mand. When Oil ries Wanted
growth, they had to draw once more from the Wells of OPEC. And they have been returning in Such numbers recently that cartel's spare capacity has dwindled from 12 million or.13 million barrelsa dayin the mid '80s to 4 million. Thus governments and consumers will probably become more willing to pay a premium for non-oil energy such as natural gas and Coal, within their own borders, with a view to maximising Control of their energy Sources. The most likely Consequence Would be a long, slow ascendance of natural gas which is more available than oil and is evenly distributed globally. (See Table 1)
Table
OEL VS GAS
WHO HAS THE MOST Share of World
Reserves in Oil Gas
Middle East 65.2%. 30.7% Latin America 2.5% 5.8% USSR and E. Europe 5.9%. 38.3% Africa 5.9% 6.7% Asia including
Australia/NZ 4.5% 7.1% North America 4.2% 6.5% W. Europe 1.8% 4.9% |.
Source: Fortune 1990 Sept. An U.N. embargo against Iraq Kuwait, if effective will remote around 4 million barrels of Crude and refined products a day from a World market that Consumes about 65 million barrels a day. There is enough spare capacity in Saudi
Arabia, the U.A.E. and Venezuela
to make up the shortfall. Sincethere is a need to avoid dislocation, oil Companies are raising oil prices and prices are likely to Set around S 25-30 per barrel for Some time.
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 33
D ECO
After that there are two possible OutConnes.
(a) A relatively uneventful seige of Iraq followed by a peacefull resolution and a return to the status quo. (b) A shooting war breaks out disrupting Saudi Arabia's production of 5 million barrels a day or the Emirates 2 million barrels or both. This would create the World's first Serious Crude oil shortage since World War II and drive prices to unpredictable heights.
The USA is the most drilled-up land on earth with 600,000 of the World's 900,000 producing wells. An average well produces about 15 barrels a day in the US vs. 9,000 barrels a day in Saudi Arabia. Oil production fell in USA in 1989 by 6% and imports accounted for around 50% of US needs Compared with less than 30% in 1985. The World can use Several strategies to overcome the Shortage of oil. (a) Increasing exploration and
development (b) Stepping up Conservation (c) Switching to alternative fuels (d) Develop national energy strate
gies and policies (e) Promotion of natural gas as a fuel for fleets or cars and trucks (f) improve the gasoline efficiency
of cars (g) Raise tax on gasoline say at US 5 cents per year per litre for the next 20 years (h) Boost research into alternative
sources of energy (i) Expand the strategic petroleum
reServe. Many nations will be considering similar options in the years ahead and their Collective actions is likely to create massive changes in the energy business. The oil industry will embark on its last great hunt, BP estimates that of the 1,300 sedimentary oil basins in the world, 300 remain unemplored because they were too remote or because politics, had placed them off limits.
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
Both Conditio Technology is b
 

LLLLLLL SS
ns are changing. sins such as those of Ocean beds of ringing far off ba- upto a mile Within reach.

Page 34
The Gulf Crisis and Sri Lanka
With this backgrounda Third World developing country like Sri Lanka which is totally dependent on imports of oil and gas and exports of tea and on migrant Workers earnings would find it difficult to meet the Suddeneconomic and Social catastrophy created by the Gulf Crisis.
Gulf Crisis and Foreign Aided Projects
Kuwait along with Japan and the World Bank has funded the tertiary irrigation Works in Zone 3 to 6 in System C of the Mahaweli. The
total loan works out (US$ 263 milion) c has already disbur
lion and a Sum KD to be received from The loan is valid
has loaned throu £7,700 million, £
loan/credit and RS Food Aid. Nearly has been used. T bursed RS 4,068. SDR milion) asloa has been used a
SDR are remaning
68% of the loan frt has been uSed... L
32
 

OMY .
to Rs 8.4 billion
of which Kuwait Sed KD 9.4 mill3.5 million is yet
the Kuwait Fund.
till 1993. Japan gh the OECF 2,950 million as 3,300 million as 95-100% of this ne || DA has dis15 million (73.3 ns of which 67% nd 24.5 million
to be used.
Om KuWait Furd
Oan funds are
used to complete downstream irrigation infrastructure in Zone 3 and 4, development of blockS 409 and 41 O. D. Canals and F Canals in Zones 5 and 6. Rough levelling, jungle clearing, on farm development improvements to the drainage System, Water management training, O & Msettlement of 17,200 new farm families are planned under this loan. The benefit accrued so far have been in paddy cultivation in ZOneS 3-6 from Yala 1988. The area Cultivated has increased from 7,711 ha in Yala 1988 giving ayield per ha of 4.1 tons and a production of 30,179 metric tons of paddy to 9,825 ha in Maha 1989/90 with . average yeilds of 4.7 pertons/ha yielding 43,869 metric tons of paddy. Other field crops includes 400 ha in Yala 1989 With ChilieS (140 ha), red onions (65 ha), cowpea, green gram, big onions (35 ha). There were about 9,342 farmers in Yala 1989 cultivating these crops. The Gulf Crisis makes the disbursement from Kuwait of KD 3.5 million doubtful but the shortfall may be financed by one of the other parties. If Kuwait as a Country is wiped out and Iraq only treatSitas a province Sri Lanka has no obligation to payback its KD loan to Iraq since Iraq has no Commitment under the loan. If it is written off Sri Lanka could gain by about KD 9.4 million.
Gulf Crisis and the Tea Market
Sri Lanka produces about 207million (1989) to 213.3 million (1987) kgs of tea from an area of 222,000 ha. High groWintea Constitutes 35.7% of the total production, low growns 40.04% and medium growns 24.15%. Nearly 204.2 million kgs of made tea are exported, earning Rs 13663.9 million (SDR 296 million). The value added as a percentage of GDP is 4.5 of total tea exports. Middle Eastern countries take in 58.26% (1989) of the total volume compared to 62.62%
ECONOMICREVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 35
South Asian refugess in Jordan camp: Hunger had beco,
in 1988. This as a percentage of value is 55.17% (1989) Compared to 59.50% in 1988. Volume Wise the Middle East takes in 118.9-
SSSR
137.6 million
24, 166,000-33, 16% of the tota and 10-13% o
1986 1987, 1988
Iraq 22.7 29.7 33.9 UAR 40.4 37.7 35.4 S. Arabia 12.9 144. 14.6 Syria 13.4 9.6 114 Iran 1.O.O. 15.9 12.3 Jordan 4.3 3.5 5.1 Kuwait 3. 2.1 2.甘 Yemen 4.1 4.5 6.2 Libya - - 7.3 Others 8.6 7.8 9.2
Source: Central Bank
Table
Country Classification of Tea Ex Country (Volume Mln Kgs)
% Of Total VO||
1989 1986 1987 198
24.1 33.8 11.9 OO
11 15 15 194 18.7 16
6.2 7.2. 6.6 6.4 4.8 5.2 4.8 7.9 5.5 2.1 1.8 2.3 15 O O.9 1.9 2.2 2.8 - 3.3 4.1,3.9 4.2
Grand Total 207.8 201.1 219.8 204.2 100.0 100.0 100
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
 
 

NOMY
berry i furninna! -- AP
me an urgent factor
Kgs. Iraq takes in 958,000 kgs or 12Volume of export. f the total value of
exports. Kuwait imported 2.1-3.0 million kgs of tea which was 0.981.49% of the total Volume or 1.202.15% of the total Value. Thus as a result of the trade embargo the demand for nearly 172 million kgms of tea will (earning 15% of the total value of exports of tea) will fall. The value of the total export of tea to Iraq is Rs. 1.4 billion. Therefore we might have to look for new market as even reduce production.
The Gulf Crisis will undoubtedly affect Our maCrO eCOnomic de Velopment. It Will reduce our foreign exchange earnings and thereby affect Our import Capacity and the Balance of Payments. IncreaseS in oil prices will affect Our energy Scenario and transport and production cost. It will also affect the Cost of living adversely. Taken With the Cost of the War in the North and East of Sri Lanka the effect of the Gulf Crisis Will be disastrous. The
VI
ports and Percentage Share : Middle East
Unie Value (Rs, Mn)
B 1989 1986, 1987 1988
12 822 1382 1627 16 1671 1900 1830 5.8 787 974 OO1 4.9 466 396 5O1 6.2 412 817 722 19 233 224, 319 1.5 175 149 148 2.2 152 207 313 3.2 - - 433 4.1 374 423 424
100 9253 10653122gg
% of Total Value
1989 1986 1987, 1988 1989
1403 8.9 12.9 13.2 10.3 1974 18.06 17.84 14.8 14.4 1069 8.5 9.1 8.1 7.8 476 5.0 3.7 4.1 3.4 890 4.4 7.7 5.8 6.5 220 2.5 2.1 2.6 1.0 294 1.9 1.4 1.2 2.1 253 1.6 1.9 2.5 1.8 448 - - 3.5 3.2 520 4.05 3.97 3.4 3.8
13664 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
33

Page 36
la ECON(
Budget deficit in 1991 is expected to be 9% of GDP compared to 10% in 1990. The budget estimate for 1990 was Rs 103 billion (US$ 2.6 billion) compared to Rs 139 billion (US$3.4 billion) in 1991. The revenue in 1991 is estimated at RS 72 billion (US$ 1.8 billion) which brings in a budget deficit of Rs 67 billion (US$1.6 billion). Part of this gap is to be financed through revenue and otherthrough loans and foreign aid. But if the Gulf Crisis results in a drop of tea reserves the budgetary gap would increase. Meanwhile the foreign exchange income that Sri Lanka received from 100,000Sri Lankans in Kuwait and 35,000 in Iraq will also be affected.
Other non-traditional exports to Kuwait and Iraq will also be affected leading to problems in these SectOrS.
Gulf Crisis and Remittances from Abroad
The net private transfers between 1986-1989 showed an increase from Rs 7.883 milion (SDR 242 million) to Rs 10,844 million (234 mn). This consisted mainly of the remittances by Sri Lankans Working abroad. The remittances are in the region of SDR 263 milion. 150,000 Sri Lankans who lived in Kuwait were remitting around US$ 100 million. There Were about 40,000 Sri Lankans in Iraq. There are a fairly large number in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Quatar, UAE and Iran, and if the Gulf crisis continues, they too are likely to return to Sri Lanka. This could result in a decrease inforeign remittances. In 1991 the loss in foreign exchange from remittances will be in the region of US $ 400 million, which is equal to Rs. 16 billions.
This will have adverse Consequences on the following:
(1) The Balance of (2) The urban prop
estate market (3) The dependent (4) The purchasing dependent fanmi (5) The returnees
lems of adjus finding lucrativ
Nationality
American
British
French
Japanese
SOViet Other European Source: NewsWeek A
The victin
Sri Lanka imports a 14% Of Our total im
Year
1987 1988 1989
Source: Central Bank (
Fertilizer is mainly fertiliser too Will go
34
 
 

OMY R *
Payments At the time of Gulf Crisis occured perty and real there were 30,000 foreigners from the developed Kuwait and Iraq. families They were: power of these Gulf Crisis and other imports lies will have prob- The Gulf Crisis will undoubtedly tments and have impact of the imports of cone employment. Sumer, intermediate and Capital
"Table VI
in KuWait in Iraq Total
2,500 6OO 31 OO 4,000 7OO 4,700 290 270 560 278 230 5OO 880 7,830 8,71 - - 3, 17 ug. 27, 1990
nS of the Gulf War from Third World Countries included.
bout Rs. 8,716 million of petroleum which amounts 10port bill.
Table X
Value Rs Million Value is SDR Million %of total Imports
87,116 128.7 14.4
7,839 183.3 11.O
8,376 1813 10.4
Df Sri Lanka
inacaulic petro Chemical based. therefore the price of up. Imports have been as follows:
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 37
EECO
Any increase infertiliser prices are going to have a productivity.Sri Lankas requirement of Crude petroleu barrels. Fertiliser imports are 355,000 - 556,000 metric
Main Source of crude oil for Sri Lanka is Iraq and this is ba Therefore, Sri Lanka will have to find new Sources of St
goods from economies which themSelves have problems due to the Gulf Crisis. The cost of production in these Countries would have gone up and fuel price adjustments would be reflected in shipping and handling charges. Thus, import Cost will go up and this will add to the already high level of inflation. The composition of imports reveals that 26.1% are Consumer goods of which 16.4% are food and beverages. Intemediate goods constitute 56.6% of which the prices of petroleum (10.4%) textile and clothing (12.4%) and wheat (6.2%) would increase. Investment goods constituting 15.0% of the total imports COver machinery and equipment (7.8%), transport equipment (2.3%) and building materials (1.2%) The final result will be an increase in the Cost of living which will adversely affect the quality of life of the people. There will be an increase in freight and insurance by about US $ 50 million in 1991. This is going to increase the cost of imports and will resultina decrease in imports. There will also be a decreased demand for Sri Lankan exports, particularly manufactured goods because of the increased recession in developing countires as a result of the gulf
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
crisis. High rate bring about an i ing transactions
Gulf Crisis anc
Tourist industr encing a down 1983 (due to th later the JVP inS been further a Current Warinth Was a marginal 1989 and 1990 affect this adve shipping Costs at SO are Other rela transport, hotel The tourist arriv; at 101,910 in 198 to about 80,000from tOUriSmWO Rs 2,000 milio milion in 1989. I
ing of tourist p
CreaSed from Ro Rs 1,396.00cts to around Rs 1 per day.
The Gulf Crisi nomic Problem
The Gulf Cris rippling effects
 

NOMY
direct impact on m is 9 - 14 million
OnS.
artered for black tea. upply.
S in insurance will mbalance in bank
| Tourism
y has been experiWard trend since e ethnic conflict or urgency). This has ggravated by the e North East. There improvement in the Gulf War will 2rsely. Airline and egoing to increase. ated local Costs like and food charges. als Which Stabilised 39 Wildwindle down 90,000 and income uld level OfftO about in from Rs 2,749.5 heaverage spender day which inS848.71 in 1985 to in 1989 Wildwindle ,000-2,000 tourist
s and Socio-eco
TS
is issure to have on Our Socio-eco
nomic Structure and aggravate as already adverse situation. The majority of the returning migrant workers will Swell the already large goal of unemployment and underemployed.
The returnees will find it difficult to fit into other places of employment, Since no contingency plan for returnees from abroad has been formulatd. There are no Self employment projects and the banks have not come out with any planto
s
create employment for returnees.
The boom in the property market and the demand for durable is likely to dwindle. Increase in uneployment and Servere inflation Will aggravate a number of SOCial and economic problems. Therefore, the government should come up with a contingency plan to meet this CriSIS. The Gulf Crisis and Alternative Development Strategies for Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka CanadoptSeveral Strategies to overcome the above described scenario resulting from the Gulf Crisis.They are:
(a) Stepping up production of food
items domestically (b) Stepping up energy Conserva
tion measures (c) Switching to alternate fuels (d) Development of hydro-power (e) Promotion of natural gas fuel
fleetS in Sri Lanka (f) improve gasoline efficiency of
C3S (g) Re-cycle the used oil through
filteration and re-processing (h) Raise the price of gasoline
annually () boost research into alternate
energy SOUrCeS (i) Explore potential areas for oil (k) Build a 3 month buffer stock in
each province to meet any
Contingency. No government can do anything unless the population is ready and willing to cooperate. But to find a Solution can only be an alternative Contigency plan for energy.
35

Page 38
AGRICUL
THE EFFECT OF COCC PROGRAMMES O
Dr.
Development programmes have been implemented by the Government since 1949 to improve and productivity from coconut lands. They include subsidised inputs and outright grants for a part of the expenditure incurred on field work. This paper attempts to evaluate their effect on Coconut production.
Coconut production depends on a number of factors: environment, management, inputs and biology of fruit formation. The last factor is particularly importantaspalms bearfruits at monthly intervals and their development extends Over a long period, exposed to varying environmental factors. The initial formation of spikelets from the flower bud
takes place about 16 months before
the opening of the inflorescence and fruits are harvested 12 to 13 months later. Thus, fruit development takes place over a period of 29 months. In the currentanalysis, thisperiodistakenas 3 years for practical reasons.
Consequently, three year moving-awerages are presented. The movingaverage say for 1980 is the average of data for 1978, 1979 and 1980. This average when used is indicated in the text. Further, the average for Coconut production is based on the area under Cultivation with bearing palms and not on the total area. The Agriculture Census Reports indicated that 88% of the palms are bearing.
Coconut Development Programmes
The COConut development programs include rehabilitation, under-planting, replanting, new planting and planting
COConuts in Citronellala Srn ProvinCe. Referen the programmes to inC ity-growing pasture, c pepper under Coconut holder and estate se supported them due Straints.
The first programm the Census of Agrict 1946, about 40,000 ha were over 60 years 434 000 ha under COC These findings lead to of the Ceylon Coconu Suggest measures to coconut industry. The re-planting of holdings and promoting the US sues of selected CO CommenCed in 1949 fertiliser in 1956. Est subsidy of one-third th and the Small-holders
露
fertilisefiSubsidy Sche 1973.
The second progral coconut seedlings an for filling vacancies, r.
36
 
 
 

TURED
NUT DEVELOPMENT
N PRODUCTION
). V. Liyanage
inds in the SouthCe is not made to rease productivOCoa, Coffee and S -- as the Small actors have not to VariouS COn
ne: According to Ilture Report for of COConut palms age out of the Onut Cultivation. the appointment t Commission to
rehabilitate the y recommended
with senile palms
e of fertiliser. SConut Seedlings
and Subsidised ates received a e COStoffertiliSer half the Cost. The
І — А
meterminated in
mme:Subsidised d Cash Subsidies 2moval of excess
palms, cutting contour drains were introduced in 1974; under-planting, replaniting and new planting from 1977 and Cutting husk pits later on.
Subsidy rates effective from 1 April 1988 were: Table A
The performance of the subsidy schemes up to the end of 1988 was as follows: Table B
Planting coconuts in citronella
lands: Undertaken to assist farmers who found that growing cintronella was uneconomic. Nearly 9,000 ha were developed in the Hambantota and Matara districts. Coconut seedlings and fertiliser were supplied free and Rs 0.50 was paid for each seedlings for 8 years, provided maintenance was satisfactory. The expenditure incurred was Rs 6.4 million. The general obserVations are that most of the Seedlings planted are dead due to drought and neglect.
East Coast Rehabilitation Project: Rehabilitated 12,000 ha in the Batti| Caloa, Polonnaruwa and Ampara districts devastated by a cyclone in 1978. It was a Composite project designed to provide all the inputs required to deVelop the Coconut industry. An evaluation of the project has not been carried out recently.
The under-planting programme: it has run into difficulties as 87% of the farmers were not eligible to receive the second and third instalments as they have not completed the necessary field Work, largely removal of old palms.
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 39
AGRICU
indications are that the programme would be successfully Completed by an insignificant number of persons (1). A basic defect of this programme was the selection of blocks for under-planting with palms reletively young. Naturally, the farmers would be reluctant to uproot those bearing palms.
There-planting programme: The key problem appears to be the lack of importance given by the implementing agency. Only 17% of the farmers qualified to receive the last two instalments of subsidy (1). On the other hand, replanting in a small pilot project carried out in Rambukana area has been more successful. About 66 ha in 166allotments were replanted withan
improved variety of coconut seedlings.
- CRC65. Intercrops, largely bananas, were plantedalong with coconuts. They provided a satisfactory income to the farmers until the palms reached bearing stage, except during first year (2). Although, the project is small, it is based on Sound principles: selection of holdings with Senile palms, promotion of inter-crops and developement on a project area basis.
The new planting programme: it has been Carried out in environments not quite suitable for coconut cultivation. The mortality rate of the seedlings planted has been reported to be high: in the Puttalam district it was 47%, attributed to drought (3).
In a survey of 12 000 ha ofre-planting and under-planting carried out, 1750
ha were expected to be in bearing in
1986, but, only 25 ha were in bearing1.4%. The delayed bearing offsets the benefits in that investment both to the grower and the government (4).
The number of coconut seedlings issued for the programmes outlined was:
1950 to 1960 8,600,000 1961 to 1970 15,200,000 1971 to 1980 13,400,000 1981 to 1988 13,900,000
Total 51,100,000
The expenditure on the implementation of the programmes from 1974 to 1988 was Rs 374,300,000.
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990
Coconut Proc
The area under has decreased fron to 49 000 ha in 19 is likely to be abo mestic consumptic increased from 12 1701 milion in Conditions have ( higher frequency each year. Fertilis only in about 25% Coconut Cultivatio lems that the indu:
The objective ( programmes initia ment, except forth was to increase ductivity from coc has that been ach the distressing fa previous paragrap.
The first progral the recommendat Commission and appears to be or adding vario US ité Without a reason the problems fac industry.
The Coconut pr indicated in Table period from 1950t as the pre-progral
Table 1 inç been an upwardt duction from 1960 showed an increa ha/yr over the peri
 

JLTURE LIE
uction Trends
Coconut Cultivation In 466 000 ha in 1962 81, the existing area Uit 400 000 ha. D0on of Coconuts has 37 milion in 1960 to 1988. The climatic deteriorated with a of drought months ser has been used of the area under n. These are probstry is facing.
of the development ited by the Governe citronella Scheme, oroduction and proonut lands. How far hieved in the light of ctors outlined in the )ከ?
mme Was based On ions of the Coconut the subsequent one han ad hoc basis, ams over the years, able assessment of :ed by the COConut
oduction trends are
е 1. The O 1955 is considered mme period.
dicate that there has rend in Coconut proonwards. Period (b) se of 10% nuts per lod (a); production in
the period (c) dropped almost to that of period (a) as a result of unfavourable Weather conditions and the dislocation of management practices in the estate Sector arising from land reforms and period (d) showed the highest production with 6700 nuts ha/yr.
The Surge in production in 1985 and 1986 giving 8300 and 8600 nuts ha/yr is remarkable. Presumably, it was due to favourable climate, planting material and development activities like promotion of soil moisture Conservation methods and fertiliser usage. Fora continuous period of five years from 1981 to 1985, drought months were less than 2.1 each year. When there Was a similar period from 1961 to 1964, produCtion reached 7300 nuts perhain 1964, the highest figure recorded between 1950 and 1984. About 16 million Coconut seedlings have been issued to the growers between 1950 and 1965. Assuming a survival rate of 65%, 10 million young palms in theprime of their life are in full bearing in 1985. They COuld make a Substantial Contribution to production. This factor may account forthe increase of 1300 nuts per ha in 1986 compared to the production in 1964.
Two significant factors have vitiated the potential for coconut production
that would have been possible through
the development programmes: extenSion and climate. Development of Smallholdings scattered throughout the
country was undertaken. The number of trained extension Workers was limited. Hence, they could not cover such a large area, resulting in an inadequate service to those participating in the
37.

Page 40
AGRICUL
development programme. Ina situation like this, remedial measures to give a satisfactory service to the growers with a restricted Staff were known - development on a basis of project areas and nucleus estates- but they have not been considered by the implementing agency. It is known that drought periOds reduce coconut production, yet no effort has been made between 1956 and 1973 to promote soil moisture conservation methods. Although contour drains and husk pits were introduced later, an overall plan to Conserve Soil moisture on Coconut lands has not been considered yet.
There is one asset to the country resulting from the coconut development programmes implemented. From 1950 to 1988, 51 million coconut seedlings have been issued to the growers. Assuming that 65% of them have survived, 33 million young palms are growing now, some of them in full bearing status. Their contribution to national production, if maintained in a satisfactory condition, would be at least 2000 million nuts per year.
Production in relation to drought: The COConut palm has no storage Water on which it can draw during periods of moisture stress. It depends entirely on the root system to absorb water from the surrounding soil. Therefore soil moisture is of vital importance for its growth and reproduction. Any prolonged moisture stress during the long period of fruit formation will reduce the quality and the quantity of fruits harvested. The adverse effects of drought are illustrated in Table 2.
The progressive decline in production as the number of drought months per year increases is clear. The drought months indicated in Table 2 are scat
38
tered over the yea Consecutive years ( production patterne
With longer drough Crop production ha le SS than 6000 n'Ut: ures illustrate adec tance of moisture in the year for satisfa duction.
Future Coconut Progar
It is stated that, malaise Of the COCO from the price porc upon earlier, has be bility ofweather. Fre not only lowered it denied the produc investments in ferti and cultural practic uncertainty thus i vagaries of weathe producer from takin of View Which is eSSe Crop industry' (5).
Futurer plan ming foi
of coconut holding sidered with these as a base. If a Sn satisfactory farmproduce and is in Wicissitudes of We vide the necessar) agement practices duction, probably payments.
Countering the drought on coconut
 
 

TURER
S. if they are for sidered in terms of irrigation only. No fable 3), a different doubt, that is a good practice, but due merges, to the high costs involved little progress
it periods per year, has been made so far. Cheaper physiS been reduced to cal and biological miethods could be sha/yr. These fig- adopted to minimise drought damage Juately the impor- in production as reported in (6). the soil throughout -
ctory COConut pro- Thus, the priorities for a coconut de
velopment programme should be: (a) assuring a fair farm-gate price for coco
t Development nuts, (b) minimising drought damage, eS (c) promoting biological methods of farm management to reduce the depend'The fundamental ence on inorganic fertiliser, (d) continnut industry, apart ued distribution of good quality seedblem Commented lings, (e) replanting coconut holdings ben the unpredicta- with senilepalms and (f) provision ofan quent drought have extension service that understands the ncomes, but have farmer. er of a return for liser, new planting if a comprehensive plan to develop es. The element of the coconut industry incorporating all ntroduced by the the above suggestions cannot be caralso prevents the ried out due to shortage of funds, it is g a long term point advisable to suspend temporarily the ential in aperennial development activities in progress and
utilise all the available resources to promote only soil moisture conserva
the development tion on coconut holdings for the next gs should be con- four years. That alone could guarantee inescapablefacts a production over 3000 million COCOhall-holder gets a nuts per year.
gate price for the
sulated from the Summary
ather, he will proy inputs and mans to increase pro
without subsidy
Coconut development programmes have been implemented from 1949 to increase production from coconut holdings. There has been an upward trend in production since 1960, fluctuating adverse effects of considerably with the vagaries of productionis con- weather and the application of man
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

Page 41
agement practices. Coconut production for the period 1981 to 198 averaged 6700 nutsha/yr compared to 5800 nuts ha/yr for the pre-programme period 1950 to 1955. The increase could be attributed to five years of favourable weather conditions and palms planted prior to 1965 reaching fullbearing status during that period.
About 33 million young palms are growing now, some of them in their prime of life, as a result of the continuous supply of Coconut seedlings to the growers. Their contribution to national production, if maintained in a satisfactory condition, would be atleast 2000 million nuts per year.
The application of inorganic fertiliser has not increased productiori tu the expected level, because of Soil moisture stress caused byprolonged drought periods. The key factor to increase coconut production is soil moisture COhservation. That has not been Considered adequately in the past, and hence, vitiated the potential forcoconut 藝 production possible through the development programmes implemented.
Acknowledgement: The statistics
presented in this paper have been drawn
from Sri Lanka - Coconut StatistiCS
published yearly by the Ministry of
Coconut industries.
References
1. Herath HM G. Evaluation of benefits of the subsidy programmes in the Coconut Development Project Area. Volume 1. Coconut Development Authority (1986).
2. de Silva HW S. Replacement of senile Coconut palms in Smallholdings. Asian and Pacific Coconut Community, Jakarta.
3. Perera U V H, Ranbanda L and de Silva H. W. S. Contribution to productivity from coconut subsidies - Puttalam Distric. Coconut Developiient Authority, Colomb (1986). 4. de Silva H W S and Rajapakse A L. A study of performance of coconut development subsidy in Sri Lanka. Coconut Cultivation Board, Colombo (1986).
5. Wijeweera B S, Jayawardene A L and
Easparathasan S. Report of the Committee appointed to review the policy framework
applicable to the coconut industry. Colombo
(1979).
6. Abeywickrama BA, Liyanage D.V and Wijewardane P. R. Measures to minimise drought damage in coconut plantations. Ministry of Coconut industries, Colombo
(1983). -
AGRICU
Contd from page 26
theft was Commited to fulfil ht or to meet ordinary requirem But today the type of offende changed and even children families which are eCOnon well-to-do and are consic educated have become dang criminals, Theyroband mude life of luxury. Some of them School going age.
Attention of Parents
It has now become clear tha of parental attention is a major
Contd from page 6
of Women going Out to Work and t tional sources of Support drying up support Structures have to be es lished to prevent fresh opportunitie child abuse.
7. Using children as a family reso at the expense of their own deve ment is not generally Seen as abuse. This may stem form the fact under ancientSinhalalaw childrenc be treated as parental property t gifted, pawned or sold, to meet fan liabilities (11). Therefore the public to be educated regarding the Cor that childhood is a period of dev ment with special needs and th child is an individual with rights own including the rights to its C hood. This is important for while law can enforce sus,ool attendanc difficult to exercise controls On &xploitation of children as famil bour. Educational programmes urgently required for this purpose, Studies reveal that with more man turing companies "putting Out" WC be done at home and with the ex Sion of opportunities for home b employment, children are used as f labour to work long hours after Sc at the expense of their education leisure (12).
SLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSLSLS0 Contd from page 29
Expenditure on education Expenditure on education is no considered only as social expe but also as long term capital ment. It reduces future expendit health and increased the efficie the labour force. Studies have re' that investment in primary educa developing countries gives 100p more economic returns than the investment in physical assets.
Expenditure on general educati pupil at current prices has sh considerable increase from Rs 350 in 1970's to Rs. 426 - 1 1980's. However, national exper on general education as a share government expenditure has de from 9% in early 1970's to 5% 1980's. Educational expenditu declined from 5% of GNP in 19 2.5% in 1980's. If defence expel has not increased in mid 80's resources could have been char forqualitative andquantitativeim ments in the education system.
There are considerable imba in resource allocation betweer
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990

LTURE - -
Unger NefntS. r has
from nically dered
€ fOUS er for a are of
at lack factor
radi
new stabs for
uOe Plopchild that :ould o be milies Chas lcept eloplat á of its hildthe e it is the y laare since ufac)rk tO panased amily chool and
longer nditure invest
Աre OՈ ncy of vealed ation in er Cent
Safe
ion per OVVՈ Յ
in late re has 60's to nditure
; mOre hnelled prove
lances h privi
of affairs. This situation is WideSpread in the families of those who have gone abroad for employment. There are many educated and as: fluent persons in Society who are reluctant to reveal the actual state of their children. They seek treatment only after the illness has gone too far. But by that time the children concerned have reached a very low physical and psychological level. The family system
The collapse of the extended family support system in recent times has a resulting Social Col-lapse. Social relations have diminished due to this. -
D - Conclusion
lt may be queried Whether the Con-.
ceptualization of Child Abuse in this paper is relevant to an underdeveloped country steeped in poverty and trapped in a political situation where funds for security takes a large proportion of the national budget. Nevertheless internaitonal agencies such as UNICEF, WHO and UNESCO have developed standards of dad care which this country cannotard to ignore. Therefore, child abuse needs to identified and attacked within this broad international frame. work though the priorities for action must necessarily be determined interms of the local situation. SeleCTBIBLOGRAPHY
Books and Articles
Coomarasamy Radhika The Regulatory
A child gone astray is a loss to the
Country. The measures adopted by
adults and the society as a whole to Combat child delinquency are Out of date. Most of these do not meet today's requirments. Therefore there is a great need of a new thinking and new rehabilitation programme for children. .
The programme of humanising children must be given priority above all others. The time has COme when the attention of all adults must be paid to be need to set up a massive and strong programme for humanising the children with the aim of developing the human reSource of Our COUntry. As
Referecê
1. Orphanages Ordinance; Vagrants Ordinance; Adoption
of Chidren's Ordinance.
2. Education Ordiance 1920.
3. Minimum Wages (Indian Labour) Ordiance Employment of
1927;
Women Growing Persons and Children Ordinance 1923,
4. Children's and Young Persons Ordinance 1939
5. Children and Young Persons (harmful Publications) Act
1956.
6. Orphanages Ordinance; Varants Ordinance.
7. Probation of Offenders Ordinance, House of Detention
Ordinance.
8. Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri
Lanka 1978. Chapter VI Article 27 (13).
Goonesekera Savitri Sri Lanka law on Parent and Child
9, M. D. Goonasena, Colombo 1989.
10. The General Marriages Ordinance 1907.
11. Goonesekera Op. at p. 201.
12. Centre for Women's Research - Women in Export
Production Villages 1988.
Framework with Regard to the Child A Background Paper for the National symposium on Changing Needs of Children. - Colombo 1981.
De Silva Wimala
"Some Cultural and Economic factors teading to Neglect, Abuse and violence in respect of children
within the family in Sri Lanka"Child Abuse and Neglect. The international Journal (CAN) Vol 5 No. 4 1981.
De Silva Wimala
Dias Maisiri
Eisenberg leon
Goonesekera Savitri
"Child Abuse with special Reference to Females 1990 awating publication.
Cross Cultural and Historical Perspectives of ChildAbuse and Neglect - CAN, Vol. 5 No. 3 1981.
Sri Lanka Law on Parent and Child M.D., Goonesena Colombo 1987.
Hayley F.A. A Treatise on the laws and Customs of the Sinhales it. W. Cave & Co. Colombo.
alo Geneva Conditions of Work Digest The Emerging Response to child labour 1988.
Maher Peter
Edited by Child Abuse - The Educational Perspective Basil Balckwell Ltd. 1988.
Journals Child Abuse and Neglect. The internaitonal Journal Pergemon Press, New York.
leged and under-privileged schools and resource constraints adversely affect
the improvement of infrastructural fa
cilities in illequipped schools. However many disadvantaged schools are provided with some support in the form of infrastructural facilities by SIDA, UNICEF and integrated Rural Development Programme.
Conclusion
Child Care Background Paper for the National Symposium on Changing Needs of Children Colombo 1981.
- 14 age group from 84% to 90% is more difficult than had it been say an increase from 42% to 50%. identification of educationally most disadvantaged pockets and making more attempts to increase school enrolment and 'non formal education for out of School children in these areas is much needed today. This will not only reduce the existing educational disparities but
it is more difficult to increase school participation and literacy from a high rate than from a low rate. For instance increase of school enrolment rate of 5
will also serve to increase school enrolment rate and literacy rate ata national level.
References
1. Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 1978. Sec. 27 2. School Census 1986, 1989 3. Census of Population 1971, 1981 4. Labour force and Socio-economic Survey 1985/86, Sri Lanka 5. Report on Consumer Finance and Socio Economic Survey 1981/82 Srilanka 6. Report on Baseline Survey on the Educational Needs of Non-schoolgoing Children among Low income groups in the City
of Colombo Non-formal education Branch, Ministry of Education UNICEF) 1984
7. Report of Baseline Survey on the Educational Needs of Non-Schoolgoing Children in three AGA Divisions in Anuradhapura
District, (Non-Formal Education Branch, Ministry of Education, UNICEF) 1985
Swama Jayaweera, "Universalization of Elimentary Education in Sri Lanka, Vol. XXIV, 1985
Swarana Jayaweera. Education in the 1990's - Policies"
Economic Review wo. 15, Number 11, February 1990 :
10. Haputantri, S. A Reporton a Survey of Non School going Children and Students who drop out of School at an early stage
in Sri Lafka 1979
11. Godfrey Gunatilake, Children in Sri Lanka (A status Report) (Marga Institute, UNICEF) 1987
12. Hemachandra H. L. "The Growing phenomena of tutition classes: The perceived reasons and some latent social factors
Sri Lanka journal of Social Sciences. Vol. 15. No. 2, Dec. 1982
13. Hemachandra H.L. "Primary Schooting in Slums and Shanties": A Case study of Four slum and shanty communities in Colombo Sri Lanka journal of Social Science vol. 8 No. 1 and 2, Jan/Dec. 1985
14. Situation analysis of Children and Women in Sri Lanka. (UNICEF)
15. World development report, 1987 −
39

Page 42
era DIARY C
September 1990
1 The Colombo Consumer's Cost of Living index for September 199
was 1026.5 according to the Department of Census and Statistics.
August 1990 it was 1,020.8 while in September 1989 it was 851. Th average rate for the last 12 months was 949.0 as against 795.01 forth previous 12 month period indicating a 12.8 pointncrease in the inde over the last 12 months.
The Coast Conservation Department (CCD) will begin Work on th Second phase of its Master Plan for Coast Erosion Management, th time in the Southern Province to protect the coastal highway fro Beruwela to Welligama.
7. A sum of US$ 5.5 million may be made available by the Unite Nations. Development Programme (UNDP) to support the efforts in th Asia-Pacific region to control deforestation and environmental degr: dation. UNDP is assisting national research institutions in improvir germplasms for large scale commercial planting and rural reforestatic programmes.
10 Sugar was made available to the public at the reduced rate of F 26.50 per kilo at all Co-operative Retail shops. According to the Minist of Food and Co-operatives announcement, the new price would b effective at CWE outlets from September 10.
A government food purchase delegation has succeeded in contractin for US wheatgrain and wheatflour under the PL480food aid programm this year, at prices under much lower than those paid in 1989. Sri Lank is buying 89,410 mt of wheat grain and 51,142 mt of wheat flour und. a facility of US$20 million granted under the PL480food aid programm
11 Australia will provide $ 250,000 to assist in repatriating peop. stranded in Middle Eastern Countries, primarily in Jordan, according a press release from the Australian High Commission.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will provide $ billion in grants to the least developed Countries (LDCs) during th period 1992 to 1997.
12 The European Economic Community has provided Sri Lanka with bilateral grant to facilitate the repatriation of Lankans stranded in th Gulf.
14 The government has approved a resident guest scheme to attra foreign investors and distinguished professionals. Under this schem genuine investors and professionals will qualify for a 5-year resident vis in the first instance and to Sri Lanka citizenship in due course.
17. The Asian Development Bank recently approved a technical assi: tance grant of US$250,000 (Rs 10,000,000) to Sri Lanka for the Kogga Export Processing Zone Study, a Finance Ministry release said. Th study will focus on the economic, technical, institutional and physic development of the Koggala Export Processing Zone (KGEPZ) whic Wii cover about 91 hectares of and in the Southern Province.
19 Sri Lanka has entered into an international agreement as a termin party on a project involving the laying of a new optical fibre submarin cable system from Singapore to Marseilles in France.This cable th Second on the same route Connects 15 South East Asian cities to th Middle East and Western Europe. Comprehensive draft legislation for the promotion and development industries in general and export industries in particular has been gaze ted on the orders of Industries Ministries. The Bill provides for the estal lishment of an industrialization Commission. The Commission w advise the government on policy measures ensure inter-agency Coorc nation and provide necessary institutional, infrastructural and mark Support.
40
 

F EVENTSD
ეf 蛙一
i liet
20 The government has accepted, in principles, the outline of a multifaceted development plan for the South of Sri Lanka prepared by the Minister of industries.
An agreement was signed with the British Government for a grant of $11 mn (approximately Rs 814 mn) for the forestry project. The British assistance forms apart of Forest Sector Developmeni Project funded by World Bank with FINNIDA and UNDP assistance. The objectives of this project are better management of national forest resources, increased production of wood, greater protection of the environment and the creation of rural employment.
Canadian government is to provide an additional sum of upto CD 75 million (approximately Rs 2.55 billion) for humanitarian and economic assistance for the people and countries seriously affected by the Gulf Crisis. The additional assistance will be allocated to Charter Canadian Civilion aircraft to help airlift the displaced people to their home countrie - Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Egypt etc.
Sri Lanka will lose more than three billion rupees (75 million dollars) this year because of the Gulf crisis, which has raised fuel prices while cutting foreign remittance according to a Senior Government Official.
22 Government has decided to commence the payment of a difficult area allowance (risk allowance) to public officers who are requested to return to work in areas where civil administration has been restored, effective June 11, 1990, the Ministry of Public Administration said. This risk allowance is half of the employee's monthly salary or Rs 500 which ever is higher. The payment will be reduced pro rata by the number of days
leave taken including the special leave granted to officers in such areas.
Aranayaka and Andarakanda water Service projects, in Kegale of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council is now under way and will be completed before the end of this year are sponsored by the World Bank under the Provincial Council Programme to supply pure-drinking water to the rural sector according to a official correspondent in Malwala.
Demand from Middle East buyers is helping to keep Sri Lanka's tea industry afloat despite the loss of one of its best Customers Iraq, due to the Gulf crisis, industry officials said.
October 1990
3 The United States Embassy has made a special grant of Rs 5.48 million to the government of Sri Lankato help defray transportation and resettlement costs of the refugees. The total American commitment now totals nearly Rs 6.5 million a USIS news release said.
4. The government has approved a proposal to grant a Salary advance of five years to enable public servants to buy a piece of land or a house. The Establishment Code permits only a salary advance of two years
salary to buy land.
6. The Government decided to offer an incentive bonus equivalent to six
months pension to the government servants who opt to retire at the end of this year. Industries Minister said the government has also decided the retirement on reaching the age 55 should not be made mandatory but voluntary and those who retire using these options cannot be reemployed.
The European Economic Community (EEC) has allocated US$7.4 million (SR 29.6 million) for 50 charter flights to evacuate 14,000 Lankans, Foreign Ministry release said.
8. The government will allocate to the Rehabilitation Reconstruction and Social Welfare Ministry a sum of Rs 1.5 billion for relief and rehabilitation work in the Northern and Eastern provinces, Industries Minister said.
ECONOMIC REVIEW OCTOBER 1990.

Page 43
STATUS OF THE CHILD
CHILD POPULATION BELOW AGES 5 & 16 IN 198
(As a percentage of total population)
Belou 5
Nepal
Bhutan
Bangladesh
Pakistan
India
Myanmar
Sri Lanka
10 2O
IMMUNIZATION AGAINST CRITICAL DISEASES 198
One fourth of the world's population and neal Region. 40 percent of the(455.9 million)people total number of children below 16 also live in
As demonstrated by these figures, Sri Lanka areas of primary education, infant mortality h
Based
 
 

IN SOUTH ASIAN REGION
8 PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLMENT
1986 - 88
| Belou 16 1 Ան)
80
60
ශ්‍රී եւ Ո
2O
:
INFANT MORTALITY RATE - 1988 (per '000 live births)
504
- O 20 40 80 80 100 120 1 կ0
7-1988 1
1 Nepal
2 Bhutari
3 Bangladesh
4 Pakistar
5 India
6 Myanmar
7 Sri Lanka
rly half of the World's poor live in the South Asian 2 in South Asia are children. About 26 percent of the
South Asian countries.
a maintained comparatively higher standards in the health and nutrition.
on: The State of the World's Children 1990 - (UNICEF)

Page 44
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