The Hon. (Mrs.) Hemali Weerasekara – Deputy Chairperson of Committees

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, today we debate an amendment banning physical punishment of children and further ensuring their protection. While it may appear a legal change, it is, in truth, a deeper social transformation. As a mother and a teacher, I know firsthand that no parent, guardian, or caretaker has a right to impose guidance through violence or punishment. To raise responsible adults, we must first teach love and respect.

¶ 02 The myth that punishment corrects children has long persisted. Violence does not yield respect or good children; it produces lifelong fear and scars. Often, abusers today had childhoods marked by violence and trauma. When society normalizes “small” punishments, it soon rationalizes bigger wrongs. We have seen children beaten in classrooms, at home, and in care homes under the shield of authority, leading to even graver crimes. Hence, laws must be strengthened; this amendment is a necessary starting point.

¶ 03 Narcotics are another grave threat—today’s victims are our children. Street-involved children without parental care are especially vulnerable. As a state, we must protect them with love.

¶ 04 We believe the most vulnerable children are in detention homes, certified schools, and children’s homes—places lacking familial warmth, where they rely entirely on caregivers. When abuse comes from those very hands, it is tragic. Strengthening penalties and narrowing prior legal leeway on physical violence affirms that every child—at home, in school, in day-care, hostels, or children’s homes—has the right to dignity and protection.

¶ 05 But law alone is not enough. We need a cultural shift: discipline through love, patience, compassion, and respect. Our institutions must become safe spaces, and society must reject violence against children in any form. If a country cannot protect its children, it has no future. Let us approve this amendment not merely as a legal tweak but as a foundation for a dignified, hopeful, and just society for all our children.