Director General Police (DGP), Dr. S .P. Vaid, has emphasised that the Juvenile Justice needs an urgent attention from all departments including the members of civil society. He said that there is an urgent need for all stakeholders to function in synergy as a single unit to respond to the issues that the children of the state face.Dr. Vaid was speaking at a daylong Orientation-cum-Training Programme, organised by J&K State Mission Director (SMD), Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), Department of Social Welfare in collaboration with the UNICEF at Banquet Hall here today. He said that the juvenile justice is aimed to provide rehabilitation and reformation for the children culpable for their criminal activities, not through punishment but the counselling. It emphasises the children to understand his actions and persuade them away from such activities in future, said Dr. Vaid, who was Chief Guest on the occasion.DGP welcomed the initiatives of Social Welfare Department and UNICEF in bringing various stakeholders together for effective implementation of juvenile justice which worked for the betterment of children. He asked for strengthening the facilities with the department so that law enforcing agencies find it feasible to implement the law in letter and spirit.
He said that our approach should be child friendly rather than intimidating for the child. Civil society members have a vital role for the rehabilitation and reformation of child involved in any unlawful activity, DGP added.Earlier, Mission Director, Mr. Talat Parvaiz, addressing the participants including district programme officers, district social welfare officers and CDPOs introduced the concept of Juvenile Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees. He gave detailed description of responsibilities given to the officers under juvenile justice, which is proportionate to the powers required to discharge the duties.Mr. Parvaiz disclosed that the State Mission is working for better delivery of justice and child care services in the state. He said that the department under the able leadership of Chief Minister and Minister for Social Welfare has finalised roadmap for translating the vision and mission envisaged under various laws into concrete actions which will revolutionize the child welfare in the state. The government has already set in motion the process of setting up of Social Welfare Councils which will act as Child Protection Committees in each village and will be the decentralised model for delivering welfare to the doorsteps of beneficiaries.
Applications from Social Workers for Child Welfare Committees and Juvenile Justice Boards will be notified soon, said Mr. Parvaiz. Dy. Director ICDS, Parvaiz Ahmad Ganai, conducted the proceedings and thanked the resources persons and the participants for their productive discussion about Juvenile Justice.On the occasion, UNICEF representative, Hilal Bhat gave commitments of State under United Nations’ Convention on Rights of the Child. He also shared details about child protection scenario in Jammu and Kashmir. Noted Lawyer, Child Rights expert from Delhi, Ananth Kumar Ashtha talked at length about the statutory structures and processes that are guaranteed under the Juvenile Justice system supported by Integrated Child Protection Scheme.During the daylong camp, the participants raised various queries about establishing structures under the Act which is supported by Integrated Child Protection Scheme. The officers have been asked to start registering all homes under section 35 of the Act.Amongst other dignitaries, who participated in the programs were IGP Kashmir, SJM Gillani as Guest of Honour, SSP Crime Kashmir, Shahid Meraj, all District Program Officers, ICDS, CDPOs.