The endorsement was made on behalf of Sri Lanka by Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroj Savithri Paulraj, in the presence of UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.
Sri Lanka has long been a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and remains committed to protecting and promoting children’s rights under international law.
The Global Charter on Care Reform for Children has been developed based on existing international commitments, including the 2009 UN General Assembly Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, the 2019 UN General Assembly Resolution focusing on children without parental care, the 2022 guidance of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on deinstitutionalization, the 2022 Commonwealth Kigali Declaration, and the outcomes of the first Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children held in 2024. To date, 34 countries have endorsed the Charter.
Sri Lanka becomes the first South Asian country to join the Global Charter, as no other country in the region has yet signed on.
Following the formation of the new government, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, under the leadership of the Minister, has taken several progressive measures to strengthen child protection and welfare. Developing child-centered sectors, including early childhood development, both physically and at the policy level, has been identified as a key priority for 2026.
By joining the Global Charter, Sri Lanka aims to further strengthen its national child care policies and align them with international standards.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Paulraj stated, “Providing the best for children is not merely an idea confined to words. It is the foremost responsibility of our government.”
The event was jointly organized by UNICEF and the British High Commission in Sri Lanka. Among those present were British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Andrew Patrick, British Deputy High Commissioner Theresa O’Mahony,
United Nations Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Marc-André Franche, UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka Emma Brigham, Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs Tharanganie Wickramasinghe, along with government officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and civil society members.
