Photo courtesy of UNICEF
The Covid-19 pandemic that has been impacting Sri Lanka for the past one and a half years has had wide ranging economic and social repercussions for people from all walks of life from the loss of livelihood and education to domestic violence and child abuse. Women and children have been disproportionately affected on multiple fronts.
In July alone, four cases of extreme violence against children were reported: a 13 year old girl from Nawalapitiya had been allegedly sexually abused by her father since the age of seven; a 15 year old girl was subjected to sex trafficking; two children of 12 and 14 were allegedly abused by their father resulting in pregnancy; and a 16 year old girl who was illegally employed at the residence of MP Rishad Bathiudeen died of burn injuries.