Jammu, Sep 8: Members of a non-governmental organization named Civil Society Group here on Saturday held a candle light protest and organized a signature campaign at the Press Club to push for bringing the State Juvenile Justice Act at par with the Central Act and establishment of a Child Rights Commission in J&K. “Children in conflict with law have increased in the recent past, The state Government has failed to deal with such children in a proper and humane manner. In absence of a Juvenile Justice System within the State, boys and girls are put in prisons and lock-ups because there is no observation home for them and several children in conflict with law are detained without trial,” the civil society members, who joined the protest, said. “Despite repeated reminders, the state government has not enacted appropriate laws for children in conflict with law. Even the Central government in a reminder in February 2010 had asked the state government to take necessary action for carrying out amendments to the Jammu & Kashmir Juvenile Justice Act, 1997 to bring them at par with the Central Act before they commence implementation of Integrated Child Protection Scheme.”
 The programme was organized by Civil Society Group in collaboration with SAFAR Foundation. The organizations which supported the candle light protest include The Inner Call, ANHAD, CRY, and Voice for Rights, Arnimaal, India Donor and others.
 The civil society group said “it’s better to designate a government building as observation home in each district in the state and replace the 1997 J&K Juvenile Justice Act with a new law in conformity with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
 “It is high time that we all come together to support child care and protection laws. Juvenile Justice Act is very important. It will take care of hundreds of children who are need of care and protection lying in hospitals in the State. There must be provisions for shelter homes and special homes for children being rescued from child beggary and child labor. There is an immediate need of the Act; our aim is to inform people about the Act and press for its implementation.”

Lastupdate on : Sat, 8 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 8 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 9 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST