Jan 02, Colombo: The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) of Sri Lanka plans to dedicate this year to the protection of children.

NCPA Head, Anoma Dissanayake has reportedly requested the government to declare 2013 as the Year of Child Protection.

The NCPA has proposed that the declaration be made on the anniversary of the President's induction to office.

Media reports last year indicated an increase in the number of reported child abuse and rape cases in the country.

According to the Department of Probation and Child Care Services over 90,000 children Island wide have become vulnerable to various abusive situations. Available statistics in 2011 report 1,085 cases of child rape and 1,503 child molestation and abuse cases. Meanwhile, the local media's most recent report on child abuse was of three children aged 10, 8 and 4 years, who had been stranded by their mother.

The mother had given the children to a three-wheeler driver asking him to leave the children at the Bandaragama town following a family dispute.

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