VIJAYAWADA: AP High Court Chief justice Justice Lisa Gill expressed her concern on the shortage of trained manpower and gaps in implementing child-friendly procedures in Juvenile Justice Boards, Child Welfare Committees and Special Juvenile police units is forcing to face the challenges even after a decade.
A state-level consultation meeting on the implementation of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, was held in Vijayawada on Saturday to mark a decade of legislation where the Chief Justice discussed roadmap for strengthening child protection system over the next decade.
The programme was held at Dr BR Ambedkar Kala Vedika and Chief justice Lisa Gill attended as the chief guest. She said child protection was a collective responsibility and urged all stakeholders to view the consultation not as a formal exercise but as a critical investment in the future of children.
Lisa Gill said children in conflict with law and those needing protection must be treated as children first, with their vulnerabilities considered while providing support. She stressed coordinated action by judiciary, police, welfare departments, legal services authorities and civil society to tackle cyberbullying, online harassment and child begging. She felicitated 21 children who had overcome adverse situations and emerged as role models.
Justice Battu Devanand, Chairman of the High Court Juvenile Justice Committee, said detention or punishment alone could not address juvenile delinquency arising from poverty, urbanisation and illiteracy. He called for greater emphasis on care, protection, education and rehabilitation.
Justice Challa Gunaranjan said the decade should be used to assess whether the guarantees provided by law reaches every child or not. He stressed speedy disposal of cases, rehabilitation, social reintegration, mental health, education, employment opportunities and institutional monitoring.
Women Development and Child Welfare Department Director M Venugopal Reddy said objective of the juvenile justice system was to protect childhood, restore dignity and provide better future.
Department Secretary G Suryakumari said implementing the JJ Act was a social responsibility. She said the State spent Rs 5,000 crore annually on mother-and-child welfare.