- the Children and Young Persons Ordinance last amended in 1945, has not been subject to change for nearly 70 years and therefore, it has been difficult to ensure effective, speedy and expeditious disposal of cases. At the same time, a need has arisen to amend the existing laws in keeping with the many changes that have occurred in our legal system and as well as in the international sphere, with regard to Judicial Procedure. Further, with the ratification by Sri Lanka of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children, amending the existing laws to address the shortcomings in both immediate and long term response to the care and protection of the children and the juvenile justice system has become necessary. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. (Dr.) Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, Minister of Justice and Labour Relations, to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft the proposed Childrens' (Judicial Protection) Bill, was approved by the Cabinet.