Child Right Commission

Haseen Chishti *

Kids - Random Photo collection from Tiken Thokchom

It is a common saying that children are the future pillars of every society or country. A child exists in the womb of its mother where she nourishes it. At the time of his birth he is a piece of flesh. After coming in the world his first shelter is his mother's lap where this piece of flesh breaths, gets his feed, and protection.

His mother's lap is his 'home sweet home' where slowly and gradually he develops his body and senses. While breathing and taking mother's feed this piece of flesh grows into an infant.

His mother's lap is his first school where she starts teaching him correct physical movements, actions of drinking, eating, walking, speaking. One day this innocent and well protected child starts his second school for academic education.

When he steps outside world he faces the challenges of the society, such as ragging, a not understandable method of teaching of untrained teachers, their punishment and partial attitude due to poverty, caste or religious differences even many a times the child faces molestation by the school teachers, bus drivers and guards. In many families within the house the children are found unsafe and were molested by their uncles, fathers and grandfathers even (so shameful!).

After facing such exploitation some children again become the victims of gross abuse, ill acts, civil commotion, prostitution and trafficking.

Keeping all the above immodest injustice with minors the question of their protection and Rights had stood. So in 1990 India also participated in the United Nations General Assembly Summit where these rights were enumerated in Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which is a legal binding International instrument.

In 1992 on 11th Dec India signed this international treaty and became a part of the 'Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and extended the policies of CRC to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir.

By signing this treaty India could take all necessary steps on four core principles

(i) The Right to Survival such as life, health, nutrition, name & nationality, potable drinking water and secure home

(ii) The Right to Protection means child can be protected from exploitation, abuse, inhuman treatment as beating, slapping, kicking, burning,

(iii) The Right to Participation means the Child is free to express his thoughts, expression, science and religion.

(iv) Children in need care and protection (CNCP).

This Right takes the responsibility of homeless child, begging child, a Child ill treated or forced for physical abuse by his master, a mentally or physically challenged or incurable diseased child, a parentless or guardianless child, a child used for commercial biological exploitation, HIV/AIDS and other infected children, Children in Armed Conflict.

The Convention sets these rights in 54 articles and two Optional Protocols. These Rights are applicable to all the children and young people without any discrimination of colour, caste, areas, and religion.

The Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 as amended in 2006 provides care and protection to the above mentioned children for their rehabilitation.

All the state governments have been provided guidelines for anti-trafficking policy, to create the Cell at state and district level to rescue and rehabilitation of child victims. After rescuing children they go through a medical examination, counseling and social acceptance then only they are sent to their own families. In Manipur ten Shelter Homes are functioning actively in different districts and three Observation Homes have been set up.

Kumari AK. Mirabai Devi, Hon'ble Minister of Social Welfare has constituted a Commission under Section 18 for Protection of Child Right. This Commission has been made in Manipur for the first time with a body of a Chairperson and six members.