A Walk to bring awareness on Cyber Exploitation and violence against Children in Sri Lanka
The Voice Walk was held for the 5th consecutive year to raise awareness about the crisis and implications on our future generation and society due to the unprecedented rise in the number of reported cases on Cyber Exploitation and Violence in the country. The campaign slogan ‘To be a Voice for the Voiceless’ is the vision of the Founder of the Voice Foundation Senior Pastor Dishan De Silva of Bethany Christian Life Centre. “To build better Sri Lanka, we first need to be better Sri Lankan’s, and the Voice Walk was a call for action to parents and adult citizens of our country to immediately take more responsibility to help protect and develop the children of Sri Lanka”
Participants
The Voice Walk Colombo ceremony was graced by Hon Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Development Dr: Harsha de Silva, Prime Minister’s Spokesperson and the Deputy Head of the Prime Minister’s Office for Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe Mrs Rosy Senanayke, Chairman of National child Protection Authority Marine De Livera, Resident Coordinator, UN Sri Lanka and Resident Representative, UNDP Sri Lanka Una Mccauley, Representatives from Unicef, Key supporters of the Walk included Grasrooted Foundation, World Vision Lanka, LEADS , Women’s and Child Care Bureau, Child Care Probation, Sri Lanka Police, CCC Foundation, CCH foundation, Bethany CLC, Touch Community, Emerge Lanka, Family wellbeing foundation, Tears Foundation, Fridsro Projects the Lions Clubs, Leo Club of Nawala Metro, Homagama Central and Katuwawala. Others included Pre-schools (Little Heaven), Schools OKI international), Orphanages, Lawyers, Doctors and cause-related activists.
The Voice Foundation, Chief Organizer of the Voice Walk, are currently collaborating with government officials and the corporate sector to help partner in several prevention programmes on Cyber Exploitation and Violence and are partnering with Grassroted foundation to conduct CEV prevention workshops across the country and the safe house project launched in January 2015. Some key Voice Foundation initiatives have been designed to mitigate stigma and provide resources for prevention, and address the alarming number of child abuse cases reported in the country. The Voice Foundation is an alliance formed between the Bethany Christian Life Centre, Touch Community and the Little Heaven Kids Ministry, and includes volunteers from the corporate sector, working together towards the key goal of eliminating violence against children.
”we need to add this to our School Curriculum” – Hans billimoria
Watch Hans Bilimoria- founder of Grassrooted trust at Voice walk
“We need to be Friendly with our Children” – Dr: Harsha De Silva
Watch Hon: Deputy minister Dr Harsha De silva at Voice walk
In line with this several other walks took place in different Cities in Sri Lanka including Batticaloa, Kilinocchi, Galle, Matara, Hambanthota to make this campaign more effective and a national one to protect our children from CEV. These walks were represented by many other INGOs, NGOs. Speaking at the voice walk Colombo, the Deputy Minister Address the importance of parents making a meaningful connection with their children in a digitally constructed world and that it is the family connection that will prevent many issues. Hans Bilimoria the founder of Grassrooted trust, address the gathering as the keynote speaker said “ we need to bring a culture of RESPECT in our society where people will respect others online and offline and also requested the Hon Deputy minister to bring up this issue at the parliament and to include this in our Education curriculum and support us to prevent CEV.
“This is just the start of everything, Let us join together and begin from our homes to make meaningful connection” – Moses Akash- Director
A vote of thanks was made by the Director of Voice Foundation Moses Akash De Silva, “ This is just the start of everything, Let us join together and begin from our homes to make meaningful connection, we request all of you to join hands together with us to safeguard our children’s future, and it’s only by we joining together irrespective of our cast or creed. Children are children and it is our duty to be a VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS.
A total number of 3000+ participants took part in this awareness walk across the country and was supported and partnered by 78 organizations.
For more About Prevention of CEV – click here (bakamoono.lk )