Research

RESEARCH

Introduction

A research unit has been set up at the CSHR. Suitable research topics will be identified by the Research Committee depending on the requirement and the resources available at the CSHR. At present, the research unit is analyzing the data obtained from Institutions involving rights of children; e.g. children's hospitals, children's homes, juvenile courts etc. A report will be compiled on this subject. Another research report on "The Status of Remand Prisoners" is being printed.

HIV/AIDS Database

This component of research was inaugurated in India one year ago. This project intends to incorporate data from the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region. Currently this project is in progress in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan component of this project was undertaken by the CSHR and commenced on 1^st June 2001. This project is coordinated with UNAIDS India and Sri Lanka, and involves collecting data on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections as well as Risk Behaviour. The data obtained is entered into a database that is unique to this region.

Monitoring Visits to Institutions Involved in Protecting Children's Rights

The project aimed at the study and reporting on the extent to which human rights are protected; of children living in care institutions, either permanently or temporarily.

The institutions surveyed were:

- Children's homes, including orphanages run by the government or organizations

- Children's wards in hospital

- Women's and Children's Desks in police stations

The team of monitors selected by the CSHR comprised of Community Centre Coordinators, who are also field officers of the CSHR. In addition to having qualifications correlated to their professions of ayurvedic physicians, teachers, Grama Sevaka Niladari and Journalists, these persons had been given training and knowledge of child rights, their violation and implementation. They gathered and collected data for research analysis.