The Hindu : National : National Commission for Children to be set up

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Thursday, Dec 09, 2004

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National

National Commission for Children to be set up

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 8. The Government is planning to set up a National Commission for Children to safeguard and protect the rights of children. A bill to this effect will be introduced in the next session of Parliament. This was disclosed by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Arjun Singh, at a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry here.

Functions

The functions of the Commission will include among other things, examining and reviewing the safeguards provided by the Constitution for protection of child rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation.

It will examine all factors that inhibit the enjoyment of rights of most vulnerable children affected by terrorism, communal violence, riots, natural disaster, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, trafficking, maltreatment, exploitation, pornography and prostitution and recommend appropriate remedial measures.

The proposed Commission will have a chairperson and six members, a member-secretary and other supporting staff.

Addressing the members, Mr. Singh said that while legal provisions could act as a deterrent to child abuse, the healthy growth of a child mostly depended on the family and societal environment. He also suggested that the committee members should also visit vulnerable areas in the country where child abuse and trafficking was prevalent to get a feel of the ground realities.

Two other topics, trafficking of women and children and child abuse were also discussed.

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