Death be given to violators of children's rights: Renuka

New Delhi, Jun 12 (UNI) Asserting that anyone violating children's rights be given capital punishment, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury today said here that grants be stopped to states not having juvenile justice boards.

''Capital punishment be given to any one who robs children of their childhood,'' Ms Chowdhury said and specifically referred to children being compelled by their parents to work in Television serials for ten-twelve hours every day without any consideration being given to their health, nutrition and schooling. Pointing out that the working conditions of these children were not defined and they work for months together without getting an off and their schooling and health neglected.

Addressing an Interaction on 'Education-The Right Response to Child Labour'' organised by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to mark World Day Against Child Labour here the Minister said the fate of these children was worse than even animals as the latter's rights were also protected. She has asked the NCPCR to formulate a guideline in these fields, Ms Chowdhury added.

Expressing concern over the plight of children working as domestic helps, Ms Chowdhury said it was shameful that educated people were employing children in households and instances of horrific illtreatment comes to light. She said while doing verification to check the criminal backgrounds of domestic servants, the police must also ascertain the age of servants, so that effective action to check domestic child labour could be taken.

Lamenting that many of the states have not set up Juvenile Justice Boards, Ms Chowdhury said she would ask the Planning Commission to stop grants to such states which were not sensitive to the rights of children and women. She said a Screening Committee should be constituted to check whether the states were following these norms and doing gender budgeting and the Women and Child Development Ministry must have a representative on the Committee.

Asserting that education was the biggest agent of change, Ms Chowdhury said it makes them aware, sensitive and empowered to take the charge of their lives and realise the rights given to them under the constitution. It also provide them vocational guidance and life sytle skills. She said the government along with the NGOs and through public-private partnership was trying to provide education to all. Pointing out that there was no age to start education, Ms Chowdhury stated she would ask the Human Resource Development Ministry that no child be of any age be denied admission in school on the ground that he/she was overage.

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