Sri Lanka, Dec. 31 -- Nearly 3,000 children under the age of 16, who have been placed in probation and child care centres based on court orders, do not possess birth certificates, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has revealed.

According to the Ministry, the situation has arisen mainly due to the absence of parental or guardian care and difficulties in verifying the identities of these children.

As a result, many of them face difficulties in accessing formal school education, as birth certificates are a mandatory requirement for admission.

The affected group includes children involved in drug addiction, theft, murder, underworld activities and other criminal offences, as well as children abandoned by parents or were subjected to ...