Vacancies within key child protection institutions are leading to delays in delivering justice in complaints and court cases involving children, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs stated.
The Ministry noted that both police and the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) are currently operating with significant staff shortages, which it claims has weakened the efficiency of child protection and investigative processes.
According to the Ministry, a multi-sectoral mechanism established to address child abuse has already taken steps, in coordination with the Department of Management Services and other relevant agencies, to fill the existing vacancies.
The issue was taken up at a meeting chaired by the Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.
During the meeting, attention was also drawn to the possibility of making the Police Unit attached to the NCPA an independent body.
Discussions further focused on identifying children without birth certificates and expediting registration procedures, as well as proposals to establish dedicated children’s courts aimed at speeding up the conclusion of child-related legal proceedings and strengthening access to justice.
