Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 30: Justice Alok Aradhe, Acting Chief Justice J&K High Court today inaugurated two day workshop on juvenile justice system for Juvenile Justice Boards (Principal Magistrates and Social Members) organized by State Judicial Academy in collaboration with Save the Children
Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey, Chairman Juvenile Justice Committee, Justice Hasnain Masoodi, former Judge of J&K High Court and Chairman, Selection-Cum-Oversight Committee, V K Singh, Special Director General of Police (Designated Nodal Officer) and Bidisha Pillai, CEO Save the Children were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice Alok Radhe said, “we have plethora of laws, schemes and programmes of children. The real challenge lies in implementing the provisions of these laws, schemes and programmes”, adding “the judiciary along with the Police and various Government Departments is involved in the implementation of different laws, schemes and programmes for children”.
“The need of the hour for all of us is to ensure that laws, schemes and programmes for protection and promotion of children’s rights are implemented at the field level in the right perspective”, he stressed.
Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey in his keynote address said that the international community adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989, which cast duty and obligation on the States to make laws and formulate policies for the welfare and wellbeing of children.
“Since the children are prone to come into conflict with the laws as a result of being accused or suspected of committing a crime, there is always likelihood that their fundamental rights may be violated. To meet such an eventuality, the States under the Convention have recognised the right of every such child to be treated in a manner which is consistent with the promotion of the child’s sense of dignity and worth”, he further said, adding “one of the foundational requirements of States under the Convention is the formulation and establishment of laws, procedures, authorities and institutions specifically applicable to children alleged as, accused of, or recognised as having infringed the penal law”.
Justice Hasnain Masoodi in his special address highlighted the steps already taken by the Government regarding the implementation of Juvenile Justice Act and overall progress of Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS).
V K Singh, Special Director General of Police highlighted the overall steps taken by Police for effective implementation of the Act. Bidisha Pillai, CEO Save the Children highlighted the overall plight of children in need of care & protection and the children in conflict with law with particular reference to the State of J&K.
Resource Persons Bharti Ali, Maharukh Adenwala, Abdul Rashid Malik, Director Judicial Academy and Sharif Bhat, State Programme Manager, Save the Children took over the technical sessions.
Earlier, Abdul Rashid Malik, Director Judicial Academy in his introductory remarks said that main object of organizing this two day workshop is to ensure implementation of J&K Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2013 and Rules, 2014, as in a sensitive State like Jammu & Kashmir, reaching out children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection is a very important facet of social justice.