Act Before Another Child Becomes a Victim

Amendments were recently introduced keeping in mind the sensitivity of issues pertaining to child protection and empowers DMs to coordinate and monitor agencies responsible for implementing the Act

- Akarsh Sharma

THE Lok Sabha recently passed a Bill that seeks to empower district magistrates (DMs) and additional DMs to monitor the functions of agencies responsible for the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act. The Bill seeks to ensure that action is taken without waiting “for a child to become a victim”.

The Opposition, however, had concerns regarding overburdening of DMs but this was rejected by the government saying the amendments only make them “Synergising Officers”.

The Bill was an amendment of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which says: “...children alleged and found to be in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection by catering to their basic needs through proper care, protection, development, treatment, social re-integration, by adopting a child-friendly approach in the adjudication and disposal of matters in the best interest of children and for their rehabilitation through processes provided, and institutions and bodies established, herein under and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”

The Act followed the standards set in UN rules for the administration of justice for juveniles. However, with time, it has been expanded vastly from just delinquency to catering the basic needs of children to strengthen the child care system, the adoption process and to widen the ambit of serious offences committed by a juvenile.

The changes introduced are as follows: