Move
to make Goa child-friendly state
Sandesh Prabhudesai
29 April 2003
Goa has introduced a comprehensive children's legislation,
to promote, protect and support all efforts to uphold the
rights of all children, below 18 years.
It deals with child's education, health and nutrition, provides
special protection to a girl child as well as against all
kind of exploitation, abuse and child labour practices prevalent
in the society.
The legislation, formulated in consultation with the active
NGOs, also proposes to set up a special children's court and
all the offences cognisable in nature, with heavy fines.
"It is my endeavour to make Goa country's first child-friendly
state during the Year of the Child we are observing",
said chief minister Manohar Parrikar after introducing the
bill in the ongoing Assembly session.
After 14 participatory consultations held earlier, the state-level
workshop held in January had adopted the Goa Declaration on
the Rights of the Child. The state policy for children formulated
on this basis had recommended enacting the legislation, to
take care of uncovered areas in central acts.
The 50-page legislation has proposed several provisions to
prevent any discrimination, exploitation or abuse of any child
on any ground.
The legislation also promises to eradicate all forms of child
labour in two years and child illiteracy in three years, by
formulating separate comprehensive plans of action.
Besides hazardous and non-hazardous employment of a child,
the legislation has also included all forms of domestic employment
in household or of domestic nature, trafficking children for
employment as well as all forms of self-employment like rag
picking, plastic bag selling, nut selling, running errands,
carrying load of shoppers etc.
While making provision to fine from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000
with simple imprisonment for these cognisable offences, the
bill however states no action would be initiated in this regard
unless a satisfactory rehabilitation programme is prepared.
Zero rejection is the policy adopted in the bill for admitting
any child in the school, even if the child is suffering from
HIV or AIDS. Having trained counsellors in the schools and
elected students councils from standard VIII onwards has also
been made mandatory.
The bill also proposes to include in the curriculum child
rights and gender justice, health education including alcoholism
as well as yoga, pranayam and meditation. While banning corporal
punishment, the bill also proposes participatory evaluation
and learning process rather than examination.
On the health front, the legislation proposes compulsory
immunisation with MMR, Rubella and Hepatitis B vaccines. The
government as well as private sectors will have to provide
six-month maternity leave as well as crèches and day
care centres for infants and children of working mothers.
Special provisions are also proposed to eliminate all forms
of discrimination against the girl child, which results in
harmful and unethical practices such as prenatal sex selection
etc. The bill also speaks against non-stereo typed images
of girl and boys, child pornography and violent portrayals
of girl child through the media.
Besides crediting amount of the fine to the State Children's
Fund, the state also proposes to constitute the State Commission
for Children, advisory groups, steering committees for action
plans and even compulsory child committees by villages panchayats
and municipalities.
The detailed guidelines listed out for the children's court
provides for in-camera trials, protecting identity of the
child victim and avoiding aggressive questioning or cross
examination.
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