SRINAGAR: Chairman National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Priyank Kanoongo today chaired an inter-departmental review-cum-consultative meeting to monitor the Child Rights in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Member Secretary NCPCR, Director General Women & Child Development, Mission Director Integrated Child Development Services, Director Social Welfare Department Kashmir, Mission Director Integrated Child Protection Services and officers from Home Department, Health & Medical Education, School Education, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Department and Labour & Employment Department.
On the outset, Chairman NCPCR was briefed department-wise steps being taken to protect child rights in the Union Territory and the process adopted by the concerned departments in facilitating implementation of Child Rights and prevention of crimes against children.
It was announced that District Child Protection Units, Child Welfare Committees and Juvenile Justice Boards have been established in all the 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Besides, the meeting also explored ways to bring out-of-school children into mainstream education.
The Chairman NCPCR enquired about the status of the implementations of various legislations, programmes, policies etc with regard to child rights in J&K.
He directed the concerned departments to ensure that all laws, policies, programmes and administrative mechanisms are in consonance with the child rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India as well as in, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which India ratified in 1992.
He maintained that the body monitors the implementation of major child related acts as mentioned in these respective acts thereof authority under Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and Right to Education Act, 2009.
He stressed upon the training and sensitization programmes for all stakeholders which include officers from these departments for which NCPCR would extend their maximum possible help.
Kanoongo told the meeting that to deal with the issues related to child rights violation in newly formed UTs of J&K and Ladakh, NCPCR constituted a cell to dedicatedly work on the issues of the children in a more effective manner.
In this regard, he added that the commission has launched a special Online Facility (E-button) for children of J&K and Ladakh in January 2020 to register complaints against violation of their rights.
The meeting was told through the cell the commission has conducted inspections of more than 50 CCIs across J& and the process is still underway.
The commission has also undertaken orientation of Child Welfare Committee (CWCs) of various districts of J&K on JJ Act, 2016 with its model rules and MASI App for filling up the real time inspection of CCIs.
