Sri Lanka has raised the eligibility age of employment for children to 16 years from the existing 14 years, the country’s  National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) announced the decision, citing the change in the age of compulsory education. 

In a notification on Saturday, the NCPA stated that the legal process of raising the age limit was based on the 2016 Education Act, which extended the age of compulsory education to 16 years under the Ministry's Education Regulations.

According to the rules, children between the ages of 16 and 18 can only be hired for jobs that do not endanger their lives, health, education, or growth, and they cannot be employed in hazardous conditions or at night, reported Daily Mirror. 

It clarified that using children for commercial purposes through cyber technology is also prohibited. If such an incident is detected, they will take legal action against employers who employ children, regulate such activities, and refer legal action to labor authorities to take legal action against child labor.

Under Section 288 of the Sri Lankan Penal Code, parents and brokers who engage children in begging are liable to face imprisonment up to 5 years. Engaging children in street trading, circus, or using them in prostitution are also prohibited. 

(SAM)