At the 9th Annual National Stakeholder Consultation on “Protecting the Rights of Children Living with Disabilities”, the Minister highlighted the government’s growing commitment to child protectionparticularly for children in need of care and protection (CNCP) and children in conflict with the law (CiCL) who have different abilities.
He said there has been a significant increase in the budget for child protection. “The budget allocation for child protection, which was around Rs 60 crore in 2009-2010, has been increased to approximately Rs 1,500 crore by 2024-25,” he said.
Address the vulnerabilities they face children with different abilitiesThe minister stated that these children often become easy targets for perpetrators of social crimes.
He highlighted the importance of building capacity and addressing issues such as cyberbullying, online fraud and the involvement of minors in cybercrimes.
“Children, especially those with disabilities, are the most vulnerable and it is our collective responsibility as a society and government to ensure their protection,” he said.
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He further explained that many children do not know that they are victims of crimes, such as domestic violence, cybercrimes and bullying, which underlines the need to pay serious attention to their protection. The minister also spoke about measures taken by the government, including legislative updates and laws that have proven to be instrumental in child protection efforts.
He highlighted the Juvenile Justice Law of 2015 and the strengthening of Protection of children against sexual crimes (POCSO) Law.
“We have also worked on the prevention of human trafficking. When laws are violated, the role of the judiciary becomes important,” the minister said, urging the judiciary to remain sensitive to issues related to children.
He praised the judges present at the event and recognized their efforts to strengthen the justice system and build public trust.
Referring to a recent major ruling on child pornography, the minister called for a renewed focus on child safety and development.
“The scope of protection of children is broad. It is not only about their safety but also about safeguarding their rights,” he said.
He further highlighted last year’s efforts in early detection of disabilities among children during ‘Poshan Maah’, urging states to empower child welfare committees.
UNICEF India Country representative Cynthia McCaffrey, who also spoke at the event, praised India’s progress in supporting differently-abled children.
He noted that, globally, one in three children placed in institutions has different abilities, which makes them more susceptible to family separation.
“Children with disabilities are children first and foremost. No matter their history, every child has every right to thrive,” he said.
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