Question : PROTECTION OF CHILD RIGHTS

(a) whether the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Act, envisages constitution of State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in each State;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the said Commissions have received complaints of alleged child abuse;

(d) if so, the follow up action taken on such complaints;

(e) whether the NCPCR has issued any guidelines for protection of children especially those participating in Reality Shows; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT(SHRIMATI KRISHNA TIRATH)

(a) to (d) : The statement is laid on the table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 248 FOR 14.03.2011 REGARDING PROTECTION OF CHILD RIGHTS

(a) to (d) : Section 17 of the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 provides for the constitution of a State Commission for Protection of Child Right (SCPCR) in each State. The SCPCR has been constituted in eleven States, namely, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan and Sikkim.

Section 13 (1) (j) requires the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and SCPCR to inquire into complaints of violation of child rights. NCPCR has received 767 complaints of child abuse since its inception in 2007. These have been referred to the concerned authority for remedial action.

(e) & (f): NCPCR has inquired into complaints of violation of child rights in the reality show, titled ‘Pati, Patni aur Woh’ and has made recommendations to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting under Section 15 of the CPCR Act to establish, inter alia, an effective mechanism for introduction of a ‘pre-clearance system’ for the reality show; Electronic Media Monitoring Centre and the Inter-Ministerial Committee of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to make proactive interventions in taking cognizance of the reality shows affecting child rights and taking prompt measures to prevent their telecast; make special drives through electronic media to educate parents and the public about violation of child’s right to health, psyche, safety, education, recreation, leisure, etc. and to formulate detailed guidelines for safeguarding the rights of children in the entertainment industry. The detailed recommendations are given at Annex.