The Hon. Manjula Suraweera Arachchi

¶ 01 Madam Presiding Member, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the Head of Expenditure of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs under the 2025 Budget. We understand the current national context. We sought power with a historically grounded, subject-focused, integrated vision. Accordingly, we received a mandate with 159 seats to form a strong government. The people entrusted us to take the country in the right direction. Our politics is to ensure women and children fairly receive full benefits of development.

¶ 02 We strive to build a good society without disparities or problems, ensuring maximum gains for women, children, and the entire social system. Some in the Opposition treated current crises as normal, but it is the cumulative result of ignoring longstanding unresolved issues and failing to intervene with correct policies that has led to societal collapse.

¶ 03 I present data from the Central Province (from the Senior DIG, Central Province): - From 2020-2025: 923 incidents of child abuse; in 2024 alone, 235. In Nuwara Eliya District, 69 in 2024. - 848 incidents of rape/sexual abuse of girls and women; in 2024, 190; Nuwara Eliya 48. - From 2020 to end-2024: 58 incidents of cruelty against women and children. - Rape of females aged 16-17: 41 (Nuwara Eliya 4). - Rape incidents (general): 118. - Child abductions/kidnappings: 342 (Nuwara Eliya 19). - Child suicides: 88 (Nuwara Eliya 12 in 2024). - Women’s suicides: 143. - In 2024, police identified 7,227 vulnerable children in the Central Province (2,518 in Nuwara Eliya). - Domestic violence officially recorded: 76,142 incidents in recent years; 19,339 in 2024; Nuwara Eliya 3,595. Across ten key indicators (child abuse, rape of minors and women, cruelty etc.), there were 27,191 incidents in 2024 alone.

¶ 04 Particularly in Nuwara Eliya, about 6,300 people at various risk levels are affected. We need scientific solutions. In the Central Province, children at risk for sexual crimes number 4,082; at high risk, 1,559; already victimized, 444. Children at risk of alcohol/drug abuse: 708; high risk: 187; already addicted: 56; 191 identified for counseling/rehabilitation; 110 destitute children identified in 2025 to date (18 this year so far).

¶ 05 Have we built adequate safe homes or shelters? No. Only nine private institutions house fewer than 250 boys and girls. Government interventions are minimal; two adult care centers exist with NGO support.

¶ 06 Through this Budget, we are addressing this scientifically with concise action plans: - Nutrition packs for 166,000 pregnant mothers. - Breakfast for 150,000 preschool children. - Allowances for preschool teachers. - Nutritional support for 166,000 pregnant women. - Allocations for facilities for children with autism.

¶ 07 We are stabilizing lives and uplifting all, women and men alike, with significant allocations through 2025-2027 within our official term.

¶ 08 Thank you.