The Rights of Child
Child Rights and Law
: a guidebook for legal interventions
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Authored by: Maharukh Adenwalla Illustrated by: Kajal Gaba This publication is supported by: National Lottery Charities Board (UK) This publication is for private circulation. Any part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means with due acknowledgment to the authors and publishers. © CHILDLINE India Foundation, CIF First Published, February 2002 Printed at: Jenaz Printers, 261 2853 2
PDF created with FinePrint pdfFactory Pro trial version http://www.fineprint.com
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FOREWARD
CHILDLINE often encounters calls that require legal intervention while addressing the emergency needs of children and protecting their rights. Many a times, it is fear of the judicial system, lack of knowledge about procedures, lack of support systems or simply getting stuck at what would seem as the simplest of procedures; the fact however is that legal interventions have never been easy. The idea of this manual germinated from some such difficulties faced in handling calls. In some calls, hospitals refused admissions to medically ill children, police refused to act on sexual abuse charges, authorities dealt ineffectively with institutional abuse or the labour department turned a blind eye at child labour. This manual serves as an insight into the legal responsibilities of varied allied systems that come in contact with a child, besides outlining intervention guidelines for calls that require legal inputs and procedures. This manual is a result of the various discussions held at different CHILDLINE partnership meets and forums, where the team shared their experiences, problems and concerns with respect to the legal system. The concept was also shared at the CHILDLINE Coordinators’ meet and this manual is a result of these discussions. We are grateful to Ms. Maharukh Adenwalla, a lawyer and
: a guidebook for legal interventions
PDF created with FinePrint pdfFactory Pro trial version http://www.fineprint.com
1098
Authored by: Maharukh Adenwalla Illustrated by: Kajal Gaba This publication is supported by: National Lottery Charities Board (UK) This publication is for private circulation. Any part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means with due acknowledgment to the authors and publishers. © CHILDLINE India Foundation, CIF First Published, February 2002 Printed at: Jenaz Printers, 261 2853 2
PDF created with FinePrint pdfFactory Pro trial version http://www.fineprint.com
1098
FOREWARD
CHILDLINE often encounters calls that require legal intervention while addressing the emergency needs of children and protecting their rights. Many a times, it is fear of the judicial system, lack of knowledge about procedures, lack of support systems or simply getting stuck at what would seem as the simplest of procedures; the fact however is that legal interventions have never been easy. The idea of this manual germinated from some such difficulties faced in handling calls. In some calls, hospitals refused admissions to medically ill children, police refused to act on sexual abuse charges, authorities dealt ineffectively with institutional abuse or the labour department turned a blind eye at child labour. This manual serves as an insight into the legal responsibilities of varied allied systems that come in contact with a child, besides outlining intervention guidelines for calls that require legal inputs and procedures. This manual is a result of the various discussions held at different CHILDLINE partnership meets and forums, where the team shared their experiences, problems and concerns with respect to the legal system. The concept was also shared at the CHILDLINE Coordinators’ meet and this manual is a result of these discussions. We are grateful to Ms. Maharukh Adenwalla, a lawyer and