Times
of India: New Delhi: Tuesday, 26 May 2015.
For over
seven months now, work has come to a grinding halt at the National Commission
for Protection of Child Rights. The statutory agency, tasked with monitoring
violations of child rights, does not have either a chairperson or any of the
six members since October 2014.
While new
cases have reduced to a trickle because of the lack of members, the Commission
continues to have a backlog. It has 1391 cases of violations of the Right to
Education Act as on December 2014, while cases of child rights violations and
abuse are 2216.
Former
Commission member Dr Vandana Prasad said, " This is a loss of space in a
statutory institution that has power and visibility and can act in a very non-partisan
way on the issue of child rights. There are so many decisions being taken by
the government which are inimical to the interests of the child and we as
activists are feeling that loss. We have nowhere to raise these issues or
debate them?''
Prasad was
referring to recent decisions like amendments to the Juvenile Justice act and
the Child Labour Act which have been opposed by the activists. While JJ Act
provides for children between 16-18 years of age accused of heinous crimes like
gang-rape or murder to be tried as adults, the new amendments to the Child
Labour Act encourages businesses to use child labour with impunity, activists
say.
Child rights
activist Raj Mangal Prasad said, "There is no forum for grievance redress
and monitoring of POCSO (Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences) and
RTE at the national level are completely missing.''
Activists
have also pointed out that political appointments with little or no knowledge
in the field of child rights have been made earlier and subverted the
institution. "If the Commission is headed by a political appointee, isn't
it much better it is left vacant? The person may do more harm than good,'' a
rights activist said.
The
government, however, seems to be in no urgency despite a Supreme Court order in
February this year asking it to expedite appointments. According to a RTI
response, the women and child development (WCD) ministry invited applications
after the term of chairperson Kushal Singh expired in October 2014. About 1364
people applied for the post of member while 169 applied for the position of the
chairperson.
Sources said
the ministry had at least twice sent a list of shortlisted candidates which was
rejected by the PMO.
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