National Commission for Protection of Child Rights

Why is in news? National Commission for Protection of Child Rights celebrates its 18th Foundation Day on “Empowering Girl Child”

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) celebrated its 18th Foundation Day on 2nd March 2023 on “Empowering Girl Child” at Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, New Delhi.

NCPCR invited girl children from bordering villages of 75 districts across the country for the programme.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) was established in March 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.

The commission's mandate is to ensure that all laws, policies, programs and administrative systems conform to the vision of the rights of the child as enunciated in the Constitution of India as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A child is defined as a person falling in the age group of 0 to 18 years.

The Commission envisages a rights-based perspective, which flows into national policies and programmes, including defined responses at the state, district and block levels, taking into account the specifics and strengths of each region.

For the purpose of this, it is intended to make deep penetration into the communities and families of and it is expected that the collective experience gained in the field will be considered by all the authorities at the higher level.

Thus, the Commission envisages an indispensable role for the state to ensure children and their well-being, strong institution-building processes, respect for local bodies and decentralization at the community level and greater social concern in this direction.

Composition:

The commission consist of the following members namely:-

A chairperson who, is a person of eminence and has done an outstanding work for promoting the welfare of children; and

Six members, out of which at least two are woman, from the following fields, is appointed by the Central Government from amongst person of eminence, ability, integrity, standing and experience in,- Education; Child health, care, welfare or child development; Juvenile justice or care of neglected or marginalized children or children with disabilities; Elimination of child labour or children in distress; Child psychology or sociology; and Laws relating to children.

All of them are appointed by the Central Government for 3 years. The maximum age to serve in the commission is 65 years for Chairman and 60 years for members.

The salary and allowances payable to, and other terms and conditions of service of, the Chairperson and Members, shall be such as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

Child Welfare Committees:

As per the Section 27(1) of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act), Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) are to be constituted by State Government for every district, for exercising the powers and to discharge the duties conferred on such Committees in relation to children in need of care and protection under JJ Act, 2015.

Composition:

The Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, and four other members as the State Government may think fit to appoint, of whom atleast one shall be a woman and another, an expert on the matters concerning children.

The Chairperson and the members shall be above the age of thirty-five years and shall have a minimum of seven years of experience of working with children in the field of education, health, or welfare activities, or should be a practicing professional with a degree in child psychology or psychiatry or social work or sociology or human development or in the field of law or a retired judicial officer.