Advocacy Training Workshop for Child Rights
Shri P.C. Sharma, Member NHRC visited Port Blair to deliver a keynote address in "Advocacy Training Workshop for Child Rights" organized from May 29 to 31, 2007. Organized by an NGO, the workshop was attended by 33 young programme managers representing the Islands of Andaman & Nicobar besides other government officials of the Island administration.
During his stay, the Member visited the JJ Home in Port Blair where 19 children were lodged. The Member found the living conditions far from satisfactory and both the superintendent of the Home and the Probation officer absent from the JJ Home. He also found that the JJ Board meetings which as per law should be held in the premises of the home were being held in the court premises. The Home Secretary and other senior officials of the Department of Social Welfare were instructed to hold the meetings of the JJ Board in the premises of the children home itself. The Member also visited the Public Health Centre at Tushirabad outside the main city of Port Blair, which was manned by only one doctor.
In his keynote address at the Training Workshop, Member Shri P.C. Sharma referred to the devastation caused by tsunami in 2004 and how government, non-governmental bodies and international organizations came together to help the affected. The Member elaborated on the Rights of children. He said that the children should be allowed their basic right to survival, development, health care, education, freedom, dignity and justice. He said in the context of tsunami all efforts should be directed to improve the mother child health. The state, the society, the scientists and health engineers could constructively collaborate in this task, he added. Shri P.C Sharma said that we should address the problem of trauma of the children who had lost their parents in this natural disaster and their needs should be identified. He said that NHRC would be too happy to participate in any programme that will help tsunami victims.
During his stay, the Member visited the JJ Home in Port Blair where 19 children were lodged. The Member found the living conditions far from satisfactory and both the superintendent of the Home and the Probation officer absent from the JJ Home. He also found that the JJ Board meetings which as per law should be held in the premises of the home were being held in the court premises. The Home Secretary and other senior officials of the Department of Social Welfare were instructed to hold the meetings of the JJ Board in the premises of the children home itself. The Member also visited the Public Health Centre at Tushirabad outside the main city of Port Blair, which was manned by only one doctor.
In his keynote address at the Training Workshop, Member Shri P.C. Sharma referred to the devastation caused by tsunami in 2004 and how government, non-governmental bodies and international organizations came together to help the affected. The Member elaborated on the Rights of children. He said that the children should be allowed their basic right to survival, development, health care, education, freedom, dignity and justice. He said in the context of tsunami all efforts should be directed to improve the mother child health. The state, the society, the scientists and health engineers could constructively collaborate in this task, he added. Shri P.C Sharma said that we should address the problem of trauma of the children who had lost their parents in this natural disaster and their needs should be identified. He said that NHRC would be too happy to participate in any programme that will help tsunami victims.