Centre to frame guidelines to protect rights of child artistes

Centre will soon come out with guidelines for the film industry for safeguarding rights of child artistes, Union I&B Secretary Bimal Julka said today.
"We will soon evolve guidelines on which the film industry needs to operate vis-a-vis child artistes. The guidelines will cover the process (of film making) and the content (of films). We will deliberate on the rights of child artistes at the International Children's Film Festival of India (ICFFI) beginning in Hyderabad on November 14," Julka said during a press conference here this evening.
"This is an innovative concept. Children themselves will raise the issues of concern to them. Based on that we will evolve the guidelines," the Secretary of Information and Broadcasting Ministry added.

Children were the most vulnerable section in the film-making process, he noted.
"They shoot for 6-7 hours a day. What are the conditions they shoot in...What is the content of the film... Whether it is suitable for the children...We will deliberate on all such issues," Julka said.
The I&B Secretary said the 18th edition of ICFFI would focus specially on children with special needs through dedicated film screenings and open forums.
"The Festival will have an open forum on inclusive cinema representing the differently-abled. There will also be an open forum on invisibility of girl children in the films' content," he added.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary P K Mohanty, I&B Joint Secretary Raghavendra Singh and Children's Film Society of India Chief Executive Officer Shravan Kumar were present.