Child abuse remains a significant public health and social concern in Sri Lanka, often hidden behind silence and misunderstanding. Addressing this issue requires more than awareness—it requires collective action, education, and sustainable support systems.
The Voice Against Child Abuse 5.0 (VACA) initiative, organized by the Rotaract Club of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, is a multi-phase project designed to create meaningful impact through advocacy, education, and community engagement.
Phase 01: Raising Awareness
The first phase of VACA 5.0 has been successfully completed, focusing on raising national awareness on child abuse.
A 15-day awareness campaign was conducted featuring:
– Influential voices and public engagement
– Survivor-centered narratives
– Educational content to break stigma
– Media outreach to increase visibility of child protection issues
This phase aimed to challenge societal norms that often normalize abuse and to encourage communities to recognize the importance of early awareness and intervention.
Looking Ahead: Upcoming Phases
While Phase 01 has been successfully completed, the project will continue with the following phases:
Phase 02 – Youth Advocacy Through Debate:
An Inter-University Debate Competition to promote youth engagement and informed discussions on child protection.
Phase 03 – Education:
Conducting “Good Touch, Bad Touch” awareness sessions for children and distributing structured guides for parents and teachers.
Phase 04 – Support & Action:
Promoting child protection hotlines and strengthening referral pathways to ensure victims receive timely psychological and medical support.
A Collective Responsibility
Protecting children is a shared responsibility. Through VACA 5.0, we aim to build a society where children are heard, protected, and empowered.
As we move forward, we invite communities, institutions, and individuals to join us in creating a safer future for every child.
Childhood should be filled with dreams, not duties.
Every child deserves education, safety, and a chance to grow.
Standing with us, our District Rotaract Representative emphasizes the need to end child labour. United, we can create a future where every child is free to learn and dream