By Matters India Reporter
Hyderabad: Children in a southern Indian city on April 21 demanded federal and state governments to set up special courts to deal with child abuse cases.
The Hyderabad City Children’s Cabinet also expressed solidarity toward the nationwide movement led by Child Rights activists and Civil Society organizations to punish the rapists of an 8-year-old in Kathua in Jammu.
In the Children’s cabinet meeting at Montfort Social Institute expressed shock and dismay at the delay in punishing the culprits. The cabinet opined that the delay in justice might erode people’s faith in judicial system of the country. It would also give time for the culprits to escape punishment.
The cabinet then resolved to ask federal and state governments to form special courts to accelerate investigation into the abuse cases. It recommends government bodies to create awareness among public on Protection of Children from Sexual Abuses Act, in schools, offices and religious places.
The meeting noted that promoting Children’s Parliament in the neighborhood is the best solution to empower children and create a safe society, providing security to each and every child in the nation. “We want the government to study the Inclusive Neighborhood Children’s Parliament movement take up by children and actively support it,” the meeting said.
Neighborhood Community Network, CHATRI, Montfort Social Institute, Nava Jeevan Balavikas, National Workers Movement and several other civil society organizations participated in the cabinet meeting at observatory position.
The resolution was signed by Kavya, prime minister of the City Children’s Cabinet and endorsed by Ravi Sankar, president , Neighborhood Community Netowrk, Joseph Ratnam, national convener, Children’s Parliament ,Bro. Bala Joseph of the Montfort Social Institute, Renuka, National Workers Movement, Mohammed. Ashfaq of CHATRI and Sanjeev, Human Rights Forum.