Policy on child abuse survivors’ rehabilitation awaits Admn nod

CHANDIGARH:A rehabilitation policy drafted by the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR) to deal with cases pertaining to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the city in June last year is still awaiting the approval of the UT Administration.

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20

A rehabilitation policy drafted by the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR) to deal with cases pertaining to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the city in June last year is still awaiting the approval of the UT Administration.

In view of the increasing number of cases registered for child rape (Section 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act and Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code), the CCPCR had drafted the ‘“Scheme for Relief and Rehabilitation of Child Survivor of Sexual Abuse in UT Chandigarh”.

In 2017, 39 cases of child rape were registered in the city. The following year witnessed a rise of 18 per cent in the number of incidents with 48 such cases being reported.

The policy, a copy of which is with Chandigarh Tribune, was sent to the then UT Adviser Parimal Rai for approval on June 15 last year. As no report or communication was received regarding the policy, the CCPCR shot a reminder on December 17, requesting for approving the policy.

It was emphasised in both the letters that “Chandigarh does not have any rehabilitation policy on POCSO and cases are on the rise. So there is an urgent requirement for approving the policy”.

A copy of the letter was also sent to Home Secretary Arun Kumar Gupta and Social Welfare and Women and Child Development Secretary BL Sharma. It is pertinent to mention here that as many as 128 child rape cases have been registered in the city in the past three years.

The policy was drafted with intent to provide immediate relief and rehabilitation to victims and prevent their further victimisation so that they live a life of dignity.

Under the policy, the Child Welfare Committee shall ensure that the victim gets financial assistance or compensation from the state legal authority without any delay.

The draft policy also calls for setting up a permanent medical board to ensure that a child victim of sexual abuse is provided with required medical assistance. According to the draft policy, the state shall ensure equitable access to comprehensive and rehabilitative healthcare to children born out of rape and child rape survivors. The rape survivor should be given counselling and guidance by a health practitioner within 48 hours of filing of the FIR. The counselling services shall be provided for three months, extendable by the order of the Child Welfare Committee. Child survivors shall also be provided with free medical services, including consultation, medication and test, for a period of one year.

Harjinder Kaur, Chairperson, Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said, “We are regularly conducting sensitisation programmes in schools. We have already sent a copy of the draft policy to the UT Administration and are waiting their nod.”

Bisman Ahuja, Programme Officer, Social Welfare Department, said, “The department is examining the draft policy, which we have received just 10-15 days ago. We will see whether the policy is in tandem with the laws pertaining to child rights.”

UT Adviser Manoj Parida said, “I joined the office a few days ago. If there is any such proposal, it will be implemented after discussion with all stakeholders.”