Committed to child welfare: Sheila

Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday released the ‘Guidelines for Prevention of Child Abuse’ at the Delhi Secretariat. The task of facilitating the formulation of the guidelines had been taken up by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), and primarily deals with child sexual abuse. 

Speaking on the occasion, Dikshit said, ‘I appreciate the efforts of the DCPCR in tapping the knowledge base of experts in the arena of child rights to put together a comprehensive guideline for prevention of child sexual abuse. It is a matter of special satisfaction that Delhi has taken the lead in this regard.’

She said the guidelines need to be implemented and monitored as every child has a right to be happy.

‘We must aspire for a society where there is no scope for any exploitation and abuse of the children. The guidelines cover all aspects, including recruitment processes, awareness creation and child protection safeguards,’ said Dikshit.

Delhi social welfare and WCD minister Kiran Walia said, ‘An expert group comprising child rights experts, advocates and representatives of concerned departments had deliberated at length on all dimensions of the problem and has developed clear guidelines which are child-centric and ensure that all stakeholders form a part of the protective system.

DCPCR director Arun Mathur said, ‘We have included best international practices and referred to existing constitutional and legal framework in combating child abuse.’