NEW DELHI: There is an alarming increase in the number of child abuse as well as juvenile delinquency in Mizoram, with as many a 630 cases of child sexual abuse reported during 2003 and 2009. Yet, there seem to be no urgency or sincerity on the part of the state government to implement the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act of 2000.
Children are not safe anywhere in the state as most cases of child sexual abuse were committed by relatives, friends and teachers of the victims. Sexual abuse of children remains high. A study commissioned by the Social Welfare Department of Mizoram government and released in October 2012 recorded 630 cases of child sexual abuse during the period of 2003 to 2009.
Juvenile delinquency remains equally high. During the last decade from 2002 to 2011, the National Crime Records Bureau under the Ministry of Home Affairs recorded a total of 1,699 cases of "juvenile delinquency" in Mizoram. These include 1,258 cases registered under the Indian Penal Code and 441 cases under the Special and Local Laws.
Despite the situation, the state government went slow on implementing JJ Act. In fact while the JJ Act was enacted in 2000, the statutory support services namely the Juvenile Justice Boards and the Child Welfare Committees in Mizoram have been set up in all the eight districts only during 2010-11.
"Mizoram has failed miserably in providing institutional care. The lack of separate Special Home and the poor facilities in the existing Observation Home-cum-Special Homes at Aizawl and Lunglei, overcrowding, lack of segregation of the juveniles on the basis of the nature of their crimes severely undermine the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act," said Suhas Chakma, director of Asian Centre for Human Rights.
According to an ACHR report, the Observation Home-cum-Special Home at Lunglei is overcrowded and facilities are poor. The Home has a capacity to house only 10 inmates (boys only). The Officer-in-Charge took the initiative of adding four extra beds for the inmates as sometimes number of inmate increases beyond the capacity. However, many a times the inmates exceeded 14 and in such situations the inmates had to sleep on the floor.
Also the Mizoram government has failed to utilise the grants under Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) provided by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. On July 6, 2012, Mizoram informed the Project Approval Board under ICPS that Rs 75.25 lakhs was lying unspent from the grants of 2011-12. Further, the state government informed that it had received construction grant for two Government Homes in 2011 but this grant has remained unutilised.
According to ACHR report, there are 28 recognised Children Homes in Mizoram and almost all of them are either privately owned or run by faith based organisations. As majority of the Children Homes are run through charity and children are admitted without the consent of the Child Welfare Committees, the lack of supervision by the state government is responsible for poor conditions of the Children Homes.
The First Step Children Home, Aizawl is inhospitable for small children and the Home's authorities have decided to close it down but the state government is yet to take a decision about it. Children are subjected to abuse and torture in many of the Homes. On July 13, 2009, a 13-year-old child was beaten to death by the officials at the Herald for Christ's Children Home, a government recognised Children Home at Lungleng, about 15 kms north of Aizawl.
"The NHRC has awarded compensation of Rs 3,00,000 to the mother based on the complaint filed by ACHR. But the particular murder shows the violence against children who require the outmost care," said Chakma.
ACHR recommended to the Mizoram government to establish the new Special and Observation Homes sanctioned by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in the districts not having such homes; separate the Observation Homes and Special Homes at Aizawl and Lunglei; ensure judicial utilisation of funds within the financial year; implement the recommendations made by the PAB under ICPS to establish more Observation Homes, Special Homes, Children Homes, and Shelter Homes and improve facilities at the Homes; ensure segregation of juveniles and children as per age and nature of offences; provide educational and vocational training facilities both within and outside the Homes and tie up with vocational training institutes; appoint adequate number of staff, including the Warden at the Observation Home-Cum-Special Home at Aizawl, and staff at three Shelter Homes at Aizawl, Mamit and Champhai; improve the functioning of the JJBs and CWCs through proper selection of the members and imparting adequate training; reduce the number of pendency cases both at JJBs and CWCs by increasing the number of sittings; and ensure regular inspections including surprise visits to all the juvenile justice and care institutions, whether run by government or private entities.
630 cases of child sexual abuse reported in Mizoram during 2003 to 2009
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630 cases of child sexual abuse reported in Mizoram during 2003 to 2009
