DRAFT NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

About:

• Background:
  • The move comes in the wake of sexual abuse of more than 30 girls in a shelter home in Muzaffarpur in Bihar. Subsequently, The Supreme Court asked the Centre to consider framing a national policy on protection of children.
    
    
  • This will be the first policy dedicated to the protection of children, an area that until now was only a part of the broader National Child Policy, 2013.
    
    
  
  
  
• Salient Provisions of the Policy:
  • The policy will apply to “all institutions, and organisations (including corporate and media houses), government or private sector”.
    
    
  • All organisations must have a code of conduct based on “zero tolerance of child abuse and exploitation”.
    
    
  • Organisations must lay down that employees don’t use language or behaviour that is “inappropriate, sexually provocative or culturally inappropriate”.
    
    
  • Institutions should also designate a staff member to ensure that procedures are in place to ensure the protection of children.
    
    
  • Any individual who suspects physical, sexual or emotional abuse must report it to the helpline number 1098, police or a child welfare committee.
    
    
  
  
  
• Areas not covered by draft policy: Unlike the National Child Policy, 2013, the draft policy doesn’t talk about –
  • children who may need additional protection measures: including those affected by migration, communal violence, begging or HIV/AIDS.
    
    
  • the role of the state for ensuring the protection of child rights or addressing local grievances.