GUWAHATI, Sept 13 - A sensitisation programme on the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 was organised in the city on Tuesday by World Vision India in collaboration with Human Rights Law Network, Guwahati.
Addressing the gathering of students, teachers, NGO representatives and families which are beneficiaries of World Vision India, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of Gauhati High Court touched on the rights and denial of rights to children and stressed the need for legal literacy to stop every form of abuse against children.
While dwelling at length on the amendments being brought about in the JJ Act over the decades to address the issues of children emerging with the changing times, Bhuyan also highlighted the provisions of the JJ Act 2015 which has replaced the JJ Act 2000.
It may be mentioned that one of the significant provisions of the JJ Act 2015 is inclusion of Section 15 to tackle child offenders committing heinous offences in the age group of 16-18 years. After the Nirbhaya incident in New Delhi, there had been a huge public hue and cry to lower the age of juveniles perpetrating heinous crimes. One of the perpetrators in the Delhi gang rape of 2012 was a few months short of 18 years age and he was tried as a juvenile and sent to a reformation home for three years and was released in December 2015.
Some of the participants while expressing their views on this provision of the JJ Act 2015 said that in the backdrop of offences committed by juveniles and some of them of the most gruesome nature, it was pertinent to lower the age of juveniles. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data also show that there has been a rise in offences committed by juveniles, especially in the 16-18 age group.
On the other hand, speaking on child abuse, Justice Bhuyan said that very often the perpetrators are family members or extended family members. Voicing concern over escalation of child trafficking in Assam and other states of the North East, Bhuyan called for concrete measures to stop this menace. He also spoke on other children-related concerns like child marriage and gender discrimination, and stressed creating a child-friendly ambience in the State. Earlier, the gathering was welcomed by Chonchon Luithui Rimai, programme manager of World Vision India.
