COI Report March 2012 - UK Border Agency - Home Office

7 MARCH 2012 SRI LANKA
―In addition, there are teacher shortages, said Duminda Perera, head of the Community
Livelihood Support Programme at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in
Sri Lanka.‖
21.46 A British High Commission (BHC) letter dated 30 January 2012 435 noted that:
―[The Salvation Army spokesperson told us that] The legitimacy of a child does not have
any bearing on educational or healthcare facilities available. Healthcare is free in Sri
Lanka and as long as a child can produce a birth certificate, they will receive free
education in government schools. However, children born to mixed parents often face
religious and racial challenges when it comes to schooling. In many cases the children
are educated in the Sinhala medium; however wealthier families who can afford to let
their children study in English medium, find it more suitable for their children‘s
schooling.‖
HEALTH AND WELFARE
21.47 The UN Consideration of reports submitted by states parties under article 44 of the
convention, Concluding Observations: Sri Lanka 436 , dated 1 October 2010 observed
that:
―While noting the State party‘s remarkable achievements in reducing infant, child and
maternal mortality and continuous efforts to provide universal access to maternal and
child health care services, the Committee expresses concern that the proportion of GDP
[Gross Domestic Product] devoted to health has been decreasing since 2007.
―The Committee is further concerned over the considerable variations in children‘s
health status depending on the regions where they live, with children living in the
plantation sector or in conflict affected areas being particularly disadvantaged.
―While noting the formulation of a National Policy on the Health of Adolescents and the
creation of youth friendly health services in 2005, the Committee notes with concern the
limited knowledge among adolescents about reproductive health, persistent problems of
youth suicides and alcohol, drug and tobacco use by adolescents in the State party. The
Committee also expresses serious concern at the high level of teenage pregnancies
especially in less developed and conflict affected areas as well as the high level of
abortions in the State party which represent a significant proportion of maternal deaths.‖
21.48 The same UN document 437 , also added:
―While noting the existence of a large number of social protection systems to support
poor families and the fact that overall poverty has declined in recent years, the
Committee nevertheless expresses concern that a large proportion of the State party‘s
families and children continue to live in extreme poverty, especially in rural areas and
435 British High Commission Colombo, Letter dated 30 January 2012
436 UN Consideration of reports submitted by states parties under article 44 of the convention, Concluding
Observations: Sri Lanka, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/co/CRC-C-LKA-CO-3-4.doc
date accessed 26 May 2011, p13-14
437 UN Consideration of reports submitted by states parties under article 44 of the convention, Concluding
Observations: Sri Lanka, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/co/CRC-C-LKA-CO-3-4.doc
date accessed 26 May 2011, p15
The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 3 February 2012.
Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section
to 2 March 2012.
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