In the wake of a 14-year-old girl succumbing to burns on Monday at Villupuram Government Medical College and Hospital after she was allegedly set on fire, child rights activists in the State are surprised that the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TNSPCR) is not functioning.
After the term of the chairperson and members ended recently, the State government has not appointed persons for the vacant posts.
Child rights experts claim that the commission should have been functioning in full swing especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, as children in the State may be silently suffering from many issues.
As per the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, the SCPCR needs to have a chairperson and six members, out of which at least two should be women, from different fields including education, child health, care and development and juvenile justice.
“Retired bureaucrat M.P. Nirmala was the last chairperson. Her term ended early this year, and the term of the six members ended on May 4. An acting chairperson should have been appointed, but this has not been done,” said A. Devaneyan, child rights activist.
The SCPCR has powers to inquire into complaints and take suo motu notice of matters relating to deprivation and violation of child rights, and failure to comply with the law. It plays an important role in monitoring the proper implementation of different acts pertaining to children including the child marriage act, POCSO (The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, 2012, Right to Education Act and Juvenile Justice Act.
Experts said that if the commission was functioning, it would have ensured convergence of different mechanisms working for the welfare of children including the District Child Protection Units.
“The government, in the COVID-19 rehabilitation package, has not thought about children as many will be under stress as they are staying indoors. After the pandemic too, there may be an increase in child marriage, trafficking and labour as people’s livelihood has been hit badly,” said M. Andrew Sesuraj, State convener, Tamil Nadu Child Rights Watch.
R.G. Anand of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) also pointed out that the SCPCR plays a vital role in monitoring the programmes for children and suggested that the State government should appoint chairperson and members at the earliest.