Protect children with special needs: TNCRO over NCPP draft

The Tamil Nadu Child Rights Observatory (TNCRO) has expressed concerns over the draft National Child Protection Policy (NCPP) that offers a framework for institutions, organisations and establishments to ensure protection and promotion of welfare of children both individually and collectively.

In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, the TNCRO has expressed concerns relating to the draft highlighting a fact that the term — ‘child’ should explicitly be made clear as all persons until the completion of 18 years of age are children as per the commitment to UNCRC and the National Policies on Children.

The observatory that has around 300 organisations across Tamil Nadu also highlighted that the term ‘institutions, organisations and establishments’ require clarity to mean practically every institution right from Rasthrapathi Bhavan to local self-governments including the defence and all law enforcing agencies. The recommendations included, “Though the draft NCPP mentions about listening to children and respecting their views in the guidelines, it is important to mention about creating appropriate platforms at different levels to achieve this with democratic principles that ensures equal participation of all children including those with special needs.”

Andrew Sesuraj, state convenor, TNCRO, also pointed out that the basic concern is the applicability. “There are a broad range of institutions and we wonder how one policy will cover all of them. We want them to modify it accordingly so that all of them have basic standards to stick to,” he said.

The letter observed that there is a need for ‘protecting the children with special needs by extending specific arrangements that should be spelt out explicitly in the policy as the children with special needs are often left out.’ It added that the children from vulnerable and socially excluded communities should be covered in the draft NCPP.

However, the observatory has welcomed the attempt to bring all institutions, organisations and establishments, including the corporate and media houses, both government and private sector into the ambit of child protection.

Sesuraj observed that the ministry had to be lauded for adding zero tolerance to child abuse and exploitation in the guidelines. “And we should appreciate the efforts for calling the organisations and institutions to designate responsibility to a specific member/member of staff for ensuring that procedures and arrangements are in place within the organisation to protect children and report any abuse, exploitation or neglect; in line with the guidelines and existing laws is a vibrant move in implementing the policy in letter and in spirit.”