More than 2000 complaints/cases of Child rights violation registered by NCPCR in last 3 years & current year

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has reported that it has registered 2333 complaints of child abuse/violation of child rights during the last 3 years and the current year. A total of 934 complaints/cases concerning abuse/violation of child rights were registered in NCPCR in the year 2013-14. The highest number of registered cases i.e., 532 are from the State of Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, in 2012-13, 766 cases were registered in NCPCR from across the country out of which 362 were from Uttar Pradesh. In 2011-12, 455 such cases were registered. In the current year, till date 178 such complaints have been received from all over the country.

The Act and Central Model Rules framed under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, provide for monitoring, inspection, standards of care and measures that may be taken by the State Government/UT Administration to address any reported instance of ill treatment of children in orphanages etc. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has been urging the State Governments/UT Administrations from time to time to identify and register all child care institutions, so as to ensure that standards of care can be monitored. In response to complaints received at national level, NCPCR makes recommendations to the State Governments/UT Administrations for taking appropriate action.

This information was given by Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Union Minister of Women and Child Development in reply to a starred question in Lok Sabha recently.

Cases registered under Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

As per National Crimes Record Bureau data, a total number of 222 cases were registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 during the year 2013. The number of cases registered was 169 in 2012 and 113 in the year 2011 under the Act. In 2012, 40 persons were convicted while in 2011, 76 persons were convicted under this Act.

The reasons for child marriage are complex and include a mindset that considers girl child as a burden. Social customs, tradition, illiteracy, poverty, low status of women in society, lack of awareness about consequences of child marriage are some of the reasons that encourage the practice of child marriage.

There is no proposal at present to amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The States are being regularly pursued for its effective implementation. Further, State Governments are requested to take special initiative to delay marriage by coordinated efforts on Akha Teej—the traditional day for such marriages. Advertisements in the press and electronic media educating peoples about the issue of Child Marriage etc also being taken up. Platforms such as the International Women’s Day and the National Girl Child Day are used to create awareness on issues related to women and to bring to the centre stage issues such as sex selective abortions and child marriage. Through the Sabla programme of this Ministry, adolescent girls in the age group of 11 to 18 years are imparted training with regard to legal rights of women.

This information was given by Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Union Minister of Women and Child Development in reply to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha recently.

PIB