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Repetition

Article 7(2) of the Convention. Effective and time-bound measures. Clause (b). Direct assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labour and for their rehabilitation and social integration. Sale and trafficking of children. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s information contained in its report under the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), that the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs under the direction of the task force has established a government-run shelter and safe houses such as “Women in Need” and “Salvation Army” for victims of human trafficking, which provide medical and psychological assistance to such victims. With regard to child victims of trafficking, the Committee notes the Government’s information that rescued victims of child trafficking who are in need of care and protection are referred to certified schools. Furthermore, the Department of Probation and Child Care Services provides safe shelter and psychological assistance to victims of the worst forms of child labour. There are four safe houses, four certified schools and two national training and counselling centres in the country which provide medical, legal and psychological services to child victims of trafficking. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the number of child victims of trafficking who have benefited from the services provided by the safe houses, certified schools and national training and counselling centres.

Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes from the Government’s report under Convention No. 29 that the Women and Children Police Desk carried out investigations into four cases of child trafficking during the period of March 2012 to April 2013 and that the cases are still ongoing. The Committee also notes that, since 2009, the Criminal Investigations Department has investigated 61 cases of human trafficking, while the Attorney-General’s Department has received 191 suspected cases of human trafficking of which 645 indictments have been filed in the court. In addition, the Committee notes from the Government’s fifth periodic report of 31 January 2013 to the Human Rights Committee that Sri Lanka recorded its first human trafficking conviction in May 2011 which sentenced three persons, including one foreign national, to nine years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine. The report further indicates that the Attorney-General’s Department took steps to ensure that the foreign victims gave evidence before the High Court and ensured their repatriation to their home country with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (CCPR/C/LKA/5, paragraph 297). The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the number of persons prosecuted, convicted and sentenced with regard to the cases involving the worst forms of child labour, in particular trafficking of children.