Crimes against children

The need to protect child rights, especially in Punjab and Haryana, is underscored by the response of the Union Minister for Women and Child Development to a query in Parliament. Quoting records of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for 2018-20, the minister said Punjab reported six cases of crime against children daily on an average, while the number was nearly double for Haryana.

Crimes against children are an indication of the kids’ vulnerability because they are not aware of their rights. The plight of children, mostly those living in orphanages and shelter homes, calls for special attention. Orphanages run by the government and private bodies get funds; their regulation, quality of care and training of staff are all essential pre-requisites. Ensuring that shelter homes are registered is important. Some like the Pingalwara Charitable Society in Amritsar are creditable. Orphanages and shelters homes house a variety of inmates, ranging from abandoned infants, who are given for adoption after medical and legal formalities, to children who might have accidentally strayed across the border and who then have to be repatriated to their country of origin. Looking after the abandoned is a tough job; it calls for stringent measures to guard against their exploitation. The primary aim of the agencies concerned should be to ensure that the children do not have to seek institutional care and if it becomes imperative, the rules should take precedence.

Parliament was informed about the NCPCR carrying out a social audit, the report of which was submitted in March 2020. It was then sent to the states and their nodal authorities for necessary action. The report’s submission coincided with the onset of Covid-19, which could have only worsened the problem. Fixing responsibility and making the agencies accountable are required to protect children from abuse.