As a member of the juvenile justice committee, Justice Rohini said she had received a complaint in this regard from the child welfare committee (CWC) of Ranga Reddy district and the casual reaction of the staff of these homes. When she sought a report, the director of the department of juvenile welfare confirmed serious lapses by the homes in taking care of the children.
She said the two girls were rescued from different places and handed over to Child Line Staff and Government girls’ observation home respectively. The Child Line Staff was reported to have accommodated one of them at children’s home near Nimboliadda but its superintendent denied receiving the girl. The girl was actually given to Child Guidance Centre who returned her to Child Line Staff later. She was then given temporary shelter in the transit home of Divya Disha.
“Thereafter, what happened was not known but the girl was found in Nampally railway station on November 22. It is strange that no complaint was made by Divya Disha or Child Line about the missing girl”. Justice Rohini also said the other girl was taken from Government girls home to Child Guidance Centre and then to the school for mentally handicapped run by Asha Jyothi at Miryalguda. She was missing within three days of arrival at the school and finally traced at the railway station here after nine days. The Child Guidance Centre and Asha Jyothi got annual grants from the government ranging from Rs. 10 lakh to 36 lakh, she added.
Justice Rohini is the active member of Juvenile Justice Board and Judge in AP High Court. She said, children constitute more than 42% of India’s population. However, for various reasons, children constitute the most vulnerable section of society. This is evident from the continued prevalence of vulnerable groups like street children, trafficked children, abused children, children from family at risk, abandoned children, destitute children, orphaned children, mentally ill children, missing children, children engaging in substance abuse, children affected by conflict and disasters, working children, differently-abled children, HIV/AIDS affected/infected children etc,. Realizing their rights to care and protection continues to be a distant dream for millions of children in India. This has also been evident from well researched studies and reports of the government and other agencies/individuals, she added.
She stressed the need of more improvement in existing developing techniques tacking the CWCS. She has revealed the two-case incidents of child negligence in CWCs and sheer outcry of the concern authorities.
Justice Rohini said, mixed methodology approach has been chosen for the planned study. Thus, the study will be carried out using the frameworks of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Key data sources for the study would be both primary and secondary. Primary data will be mainly gathered through interviews, observations, focused group discussions, analyses of files and records, documents, CWC members, CWC sitting process, official representatives of CHs, the district and the state officials of DWCD, Child Line members, NGO representatives, network representatives, subject experts and, identified practitioners and judiciary, who are involved or supportive in the implementation of JJS.
The Supreme Court judge Madan B. Lokur said dealing with children who were runaways from home or exposed to other dangers was a big problem.
Justice Madan B Lokur is the patron of JJB and Supreme Cour Judge taking care of AP CWCs and JJB activities. He advised the CWCs to identify the problem and find the solution to make a good progress in their efforts despite relying on the government or any others. Further, he suggested to precedence checking, initiate the solutions, introspect and become proactive towards implementation of CWC strategies. He pointed out to get support, involve government and elected representatives after exercising their efforts and finding solutions.
In a process of delivering the justice, pick up the policing system and keep on action with proper approach to become an agents of change. To speed of the change, work on Act framework, take the ownership of the program, find the alternatives for systematic solution provision, he advised.
He analyzed the personal profile of the respondents it is observed that there is a gender imbalance. The members are well educated and hold respectable positions in various forums and networks within the districts. However, each one’s interest in getting involved as a member or chairperson of the CWC varied according to the different positions they hold and the networks they are involved.
He assured the best possible way to curb the irregularities and streamline the systematic discipline of the entire working process. He asked the AP Judicial Academy to study the lacunae of the working system and provide proper training.
Earlier, Ramesh Shekar Reddy, Convenor of AP Alliance for Child Rights, explained the Audio Visual briefing of the released report and shared the vital information and recommendations made in the report. He stressed the fact finding information of CWCs, JJB’s role and AP Judicial Academy guidance efforts, government agencies coordination during the remote executions and the analysis with proper recommendations were presented.
He shared the presentation with Phillips, the chairperson of CWC Hyderabad. Phillips made more elaboration on the report. He showcased the basic need of the hour and clarified the actual situation of ground reality. Earlier Mr. Ramesh showed the thrust areas of the study on training, documentation, counseling, mediating, infrastructure, awareness, security and communication network. Earlier, Phillips said, it is generally observed that majority of the members have undergone an orientation on the CWC and their roles and responsibilities.
However, in practice there seems to be little effort to improve the situation and find opportunities to further enhance their knowledge to strengthen the system. External support to enhance the capacities is found lacking in a majority of the cases. The members, chairpersons have visited Children’s Homes and interacted with the officials. They have also participated in various orientation programs organized by the NGOs and the government departments, but the extent to which they are practiced is a question mark.
They underlined to get early action on lack of support system, lack of financial provisions, lack of infrastructure etc, were challenges faced by the respondents. Unable to deal with trafficked children due to lack of external support, lack of awareness on CWC by the government officials, difficulties in coordination, interference by political leaders while taking custody of street children and placing them in welfare homes, children unable to give details causing difficulties in making home investigations, lack of medical support from the health department, police not providing escorts for children referred by stating that they do not have sufficient staff, rehabilitation for several cases of orphans who are above 18 years, lack of awareness at the community on child rights were the prominent challenges.
In the opening speech and welcome to the dignitories, AP Judicial Academy Director, Avadhani described the AP Judicial Academy role in JJB & CWCs operations in the state and explained the possibilities of error free functions. He emphasizes the need of the hour and made cooperative module of functioning, training and coordination processes. He informed the successful completion of ten training workshops by the academy across the state and assured the best possible coordination with the CWCs.
Sonykutty George is the officiating Chief of UNICEF Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka described the UNICEF role in CWCs development and association with APACR. He is confident to share the socio-financial mechanism and stressed the point of further development in grass root level functionaries and he applauded the services rendered by the CWCs.
Justice N V Ramana is the president of AP Judicial Academy applauds the report presenters and contents highlighted. He informed the opening of regional units of AP Judicial Academy in the state to facilitate the support and assured the best possible ways to streamline the system soon.
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