Implementation of Child Rights

India, as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), has committed itself to ensure that all children enjoy their right to survival, development, protection and participation. In pursuance of this, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has adopted the National Policy for Children (NPC), 2013 on 26th April, 2013 which affirms the Government's commitment to realization of the rights of all children in the country. It recognizes every person below the age of eighteen years as a child and that childhood is an integral part of life with a value of its own, and a long term, sustainable, multi-spectral, integrated and inclusive approach is necessary for the harmonious development and protection of children.

The Policy has identified survival, health, nutrition, education, development, protection and participation as the undeniable rights of every child, and has also declared these as key priority areas. Further, the Ministry has also launched the National Plan of Action for Children, 2016 on 24.01.2017 in pursuance of the NPC, 2013.

The Government has enacted the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act), to provide care and protection to vulnerable children, which mandates that no waiver of any of the right of the child is permissible or valid (Section 3(ix) of the JJ Act, 2015).

This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.