Child Rights: Need for Joint Effort Stressed
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government is planning to cancel the membership of those panchayat-level jagratha samithis which have not met for a long time to discuss issues relating to child rights.
Minister for Social Justice and Panchayats M K Muneer said that the government will amend existing rules incorporating this provision for jagratha samithis. He was inaugurating the state-level consultation on issues concerning children who go missing. “Jagratha samithis, which function at the grassroots level, are able to easily identify the problems of children who are subjected to torture and exploitation,” Muneer said.
The minister also pointed out the need for cooperation and unity among various departments so that the rights of the children can be protected and their welfare ensured.
Speaking on the occasion, AGDP R Sreelekha said that a total of 8,147 children have gone missing in the state till January this year, of which 7,559 children have been traced.
“The majority of the children were recovered from children’s homes and orphanages. In some cases, it was found that the parents had entrusted the children to the care of their relatives outside the state,” she said.
National Informatics Centre (NIC) scientist Dr Subrata Roy Gupta introduced the National Track Child System software, aimed at tracing missing children, on the occasion.