Source: PIB & The Hindu
In an incident which has triggered shock and outrage and exposed chinks in the social security net, acute poverty and starvation forced a mother in the State of Kerala to hand over four of her six children to the care of the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare.
About Child Welfare Committees
- As per the Section 27(1) of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act), Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) are to be constituted by State Government by notification in the Official Gazette for every district, for exercising the powers and to discharge the duties conferred on such Committees in relation to children in need of care and protection under JJ Act, 2015.
- Composition of the committees: The Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, and four other members as the State Government may think fit to appoint, of whom atleast one shall be a woman and another, an expert on the matters concerning children.
- Eligibility conditions: As per Rule of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules, 2016 framed under JJ Act, 2015 Chairperson and the members shall be above the age of thirty-five years and shall have a minimum of seven years of experience of working with children in the field of education, health, or welfare activities, or should be a practicing professional with a degree in child psychology or psychiatry or social work or sociology or human development or in the field of law or a retired judicial officer.
- The primary responsibility of execution of the Act and Rules lies with the State/UTs.
- As per section-29 of the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act 2015, the Committee shall have the authority to dispose of cases for the care, protection, treatment, development and rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection, as well as to provide for their basic needs and protection
