Towards Finalising a National Policy on the Child

Item

Title: Towards Finalising a National Policy on the Child
extracted text: SDA-RF-CH-1A.11

HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION (HRF)
S°-044’2^'^ nq p a9an^LoVle Mount- Saidapet, Chennai-600 015. INDIA
. 044-235 35 03, Fax : 044-235 59 05; E-mail : hrf@md3.vsnl.net.in ; hrf@xlweb.com

27.07.2001

Towards Finalising a National Policy on the Child

Southern India Consultation on the National Commission
for Children Bill - 2001, The Children’s Code Bill 2000
and the GDI's II India Country Report to the
U.N. Child Rights Committee.
k.

Dear

Thank you for your confirmation to participate in the South India Consultation
Promoting Children’s Rights : A Review of Recent Policy and Law Reforms
for Children. The Consultation will begin with a brief inaugural Session at

10 a.m. sharp.
Dates

:

9,h and 10th August 2001

Venue for Consultation

:

Conference Hall, ICSA Guest House,
No.93, Pantheon Road, (opp. to children’s
museum), Egmore, Chennai-600 008.

Place of Accommodation

:

Accommodation is also reserved at the
same meeting venue i.e. ICSA Guest House

We have 5 tasks before us.
1. Discussion on the Draft Code Bill 2000.
2. Discussion on the National Commission for Children Bill 2001
3. Discussion on the llnd India Country Chapter or Genera! Principles (we are

yet to get a full copy of the Report)
4. Discussion on Pre-final Draft of a Citizens National Policy on the Child.
5. Discussion
on
Draft
Recommendations
to
the
Chairperson,
Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer, Sub-Committee on Fundamental Rights of the
National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC),
on changes needed in the Constitution for protecting childrens rights.

p/ - s/< C

We need to end the Consultation with a POSITION NOTE on each of these
documents in order for us to communicate to different interest groups our views
on these matters and strengthen the Child Rights Movement. Specifically we
need to come to a consensus on the minimum policy issues and standards which
are in the best interests of children so as to evaluate all legal measures based on
such a policy. All of-us are aware that since 1974 Indian Government has not

finalised a National Policy on the Child. It declared a National Plan of Action
Commitment to the Child (1992) and presented reports to the World Summit and
the U.N.Committee on the Rights of the Child. This is far short of a National
Policy on the Child. Due to the absence of such a policy various laws are being
drafted that may not necessarily be in the best interests of children.
Please find enclosed a copy of some of the documents. If you already have
them kindly pass it on to a friend or like minded organisation. The Draft Citizens
National Policy will reach you shortly.

Kindly take time off to analyse these issues and please come with written
comments (however brief) reviewing these policy / law statements.

Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Ossie FernandesDirgptor

2

Media: SDA-RF-CH-1A.11.pdf

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