Supreme Court Judge, Justice Madan B Lokur today said child rights is a matter of international concern and it is time that the issue needs to be concentrated at the national sphere by breaking 'compartmental-barriers'.
"We now have to concentrate on the national sphere because internationally child rights has been recognized and it is time for all of us to realize that it is a matter of great national importance as well," Justice Lokur said while referring to the recent noble peace prize awards given to Kailash Satyarthi of India and Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan for child rights and education.
According to him, almost 40 per cent of the population of India (about 1.52 billion) consists of children who are below the age of 18 years.
"We are dealing with a very large number of people and we have to realize this when we deal with issues pertaining to child rights. One of the most important thing to remember is that all of us regardless of which discipline we follow or which walk of life we come from, all of us have to work together, converge on this one central issue of protecting and preserving child rights," Justice Lokur said while addressing a two-day workshop on 'sensitization of people on Juvenile Justice System' held here today.
He further stated, "We cannot live in compartments and say if I am a superintendent of home, this is my job, if I am a judge then this is my job, if am a member of the justice and juvenile board this is my job and I will not look after something which is beyond the compartment in which I am located."
"This will not help in the effective implementation of Juvenile Justice Act and this is not how we should look at issues pertaining to child rights and the betterment of children," he said while citing instances where even judges in the courts besides police and social welfare department are completely unaware of child rights.
There are instances where children who are victims of circumstances were made to be as accused, he said adding "One must be aware that there there is a vast difference between victim and an accused."
"The department of social welfare in many parts of the country sometimes takes their own time in realizing funds and there are complaints we've had from three regional conferences, the first was in Guwahati few months ago, then in September in Odisha and last was in Chennai and Tamil Nadu," he said.
