Supreme Court on Protection of Children during Covid-19

 

INTRODUCTION 

Today we will discuss another judicial pronouncement by the Honorable Supreme Court of India in relation to Covid-19 Pandemic. The name of the case is In Re Contagion of Covid-19 Virus in Children Protection Homes. 

 

DIRECTIONS OF THE COURT

 

Let us discuss the directions given by the Court in this case on 7^th June 2021.

The Court stated that there are close to 30,071 children who have become orphans or have lost one parent or abandoned.

To be precise, there are 3,621 orphans, 26,176 children who have lost one parent and 274 children who have been abandoned.

 

Firstly, the States were directed to continue identifying the children who have become orphans or lost a parent after March 2020, either due to Covid-19 or otherwise and update such data on the website of National Commission for Protection of Children Rights without delay.

 

Secondly, the Court directed the Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) to ensure that since such children require financial assistance, food provisions, it should pass appropriate orders in this regard, without delay.

 

Thirdly. The Court directed that there should be a follow up with such children to ascertain their well-being and accordingly take steps under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

 

Fourthly, it was also directed that after the identification of the children who have become orphans or lost one parent, prompt action has to be taken to provide the basic needs of the children and the various benefits under the schemes such as Integrated Child Protection Scheme should be immediately disbursed to them.

 

Fifthly, the District Child Protection Officers (DCPOs) in every District should act swiftly to contact the child on receipt of information about the loss of the parent/parents of the child.

 

Sixthly, the States were directed to continue identifying the children who have become orphans or lost a parent after March 2020, either due to Covid-19 or otherwise and such data has to be updated on the website of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights without delay.

 

And seventhly, the State Governments were also directed to make provisions for continuance of education of the children both in Government as well as in private schools.

 

Eighthly, it was ordered that stern action is to be taken against those NGOs or individuals who are indulging in illegal adoptions.

 

Ninthly, the Court also observed that the States should give wide publicity to the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, for the welfare of children.

 

And lastly, in order to have a comprehensive coverage, it was directed that all such exercises that were just mentioned, are also to be undertaken at the Gram Panchayat Level to monitor the welfare of the disconsolate children.

 

CONCLUSION

 

I think that Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on children. They are the ones who seemed to have suffer a lot. And being minors, there voice is mostly unheard. The Supreme Court has passed comprehensive guidelines for welfare of children and now, it is the responsibility of the states to implement the guidelines in letter and spirit. I hope that the same is done as quickly as possible.