NCPCR tracks data on orphans

Context:

Bal Swaraj, an online tracking portal of a national child rights body National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), shows details of nearly 10,000 children in the country in immediate need of care and protection.

Relevance:

GS-II: Social Justice (Issues Related to Children, Government Policies and Interventions), GS-II: Polity (Statutory Bodies)

Dimensions of the Article:

1. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)
2. The functions of NCPCR
3. About the Recent updated given by the NCPCR
4. NCPCR’s online portal ‘Bal Swaraj’

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)

• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is an Indian Statutory Body established by an Act of Parliament, the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
• The Commission works under the aegis of Ministry of Women and Child Development, GoI.
• The Commission is mandated under section 13 of CPCR Act, 2005 “to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
• As defined by the commission, child includes person up to the age of 18 years.
• Also, NCPCR cannot enquire into any matter which is pending before a State Commission or any other Commission duly constituted.
• The commission consist of the following members:
  1. A chairperson who, is a person of eminence and has done a outstanding work for promoting the welfare of children; and
  2. Six members, out of which at least two are woman, from the following fields, is appointed by the Central Government from amongst person of eminence, ability, integrity, standing and experience in:
     • Education,
     • Child health, care, welfare or child development,
     • Juvenile justice or care of neglected or marginalized children or children with disabilities,
     • Elimination of child labour or children in distress
     • Child psychology or sociology
     • Laws relating to children

The functions of NCPCR

• Examine and review the safeguards provided by or under any law for the time being in force for the protection of child rights and recommend measures
• Present to the Central Government –  reports upon working of those safeguards
• Inquire into violation of child rights and recommend initiation of proceedings in such cases
• Examine all factors that inhibit the enjoyment of rights of children affected by terrorism, communal violence, riots etc., and recommend appropriate remedial measures
• Look into the matters relating to the children in need of special care and protection including children in distress, marginalized and disadvantaged children
• Study treaties and other international instruments and undertake periodical review of existing policies, programmes and other activities on child rights and make recommendations
• Undertake and promote research in the field of child rights
• Spread child rights literacy among various section of society and promote awareness
• Inspect or cause to be inspected any juveniles custodial home, or any other place of residence or institution meant for children
• Inquire into complaints and take suo motu notice of matter relating to:
  1. Deprivation and violation of child rights;
  2. Non implementation of laws providing for protection and development of children;
  3. Noncompliance of policy decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating hardships to and ensuring welfare of the children and provide relief to such children;
  4. Or take up the issues arising out of such matters with appropriate authorities.
• Such other functions as it may consider necessary for the promotion of Child Rights
• Undertake formal investigation where concern has been expressed either by children themselves or by concerned person on their behalf
• Promote the incorporation of child rights into the school curriculum, training of teachers or personnel dealing with children

About the Recent updated given by the NCPCR

• The cataclysmic COVID-19 pandemic devastated the vulnerable sections of society and there are a number of children who have become orphans due to the demise of either the breadwinner of the family or of both their parents.
• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) informed the Supreme Court that these children ran a high risk of being pushed into trafficking and flesh trade.
• The Commission said it had already received several complaints of government authorities illegally transferring details of children to private entities and NGOs.

NCPCR’s online portal ‘Bal Swaraj’

• In view of the growing problem related to children affected by COVID-19, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has devised an online tracking portal “Bal Swaraj (COVID-Care link)” for children in need of care and protection.
• The portal has been created with the purpose of tracking and monitoring children who need care and protection in real-time, digitally.
• The portal will also be used to track children who have lost both their parents during COVID-19.
• The “COVID-Care” link on the portal has been provided for the concerned officer or department to upload the data of such children.
• The “Bal Swaraj-COVID-Care” aims at tracking the children affected by COVID-19 right from their production before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), to the restoration of the children to their parent, guardian, or relative, and its subsequent follow-up.
• The Commission will be able to get information about whether the child is getting his/her entitlements, benefits, and entitled monetary gains, through the data filled in the portal by the District officers and State officers for each child.

Click Here to read more about Adoption issues for those orphaned during Covid-19 and Juvenile Justice Act, 2015

-Source: The Hindu