New Delhi: Shocked over the Nithari children’s killings incident, the Central Government is planning to bring a Bill for protecting children from sexual exploitation, domestic violence, economic exploitation, trafficking and corporal punishment in schools.
The Draft Bill for Offences Against Children, prepared after wide consultation with experts on children issues, NGOs, legal luminaries, would soon be brought before the Union Cabinet for its approval, official sources said.
Already the comments of the various state governments have been received and at present it is being reviewed by Law Ministry, Home Ministry, Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment and other ministries.
The Bill once enacted by Parliament would go a long way in protecting children from exploitation and violence, they said. Meanwhile, the Centre is also planning to make the National Commission for Children effective by the end of this month. The Commission, on the lines of the National Human Rights Commission, would have a Chairperson and six members.
Parliament has already passed a bill in this regard and guidelines have been framed. Now, the government is short-listing candidates to head the Commission which would work to protect the rights of children.
The Centre has already constituted a high-level inquiry committee to investigate into the sexual abuse and killings of the children in Nithari village in Uttar Pradesh. The Committee chaired by Joint Secretary in the Women and Child Development Ministry Manjula Krishnan has been asked to look into the efforts made by the local administration, especially the police to locate the missing children and unite them with their families.
The committee would also assess the level of cooperation and assistance provided by the local administration, especially by the police to the community, affected parents and families. It would also go into the modus operandi and the motive of the accused persons into these activities.
It has been asked to submit its findings within a fortnight. It would also give its recommendations to prevent such incidents in future. Joint Secretary (Police) Home Ministry V N Gaur, Secretary with UP government's Department of Women and Child Development Balvinder Kumar, and Women and Child Development Ministry Director J S Kochher would be its members.
With PTI inputs
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