CWCissues strict guidelines against exploitation of children for fundraising

Media houses, institutions warned of legal action for violating child protection laws

SRINAGAR: In a significant move, the Child Welfare Committee in Srinagar has issued stringent directives aimed at safeguarding the rights and identities of children in need of care and protection.
These guidelines, prompted by recent instances of media exploitation and unauthorized fundraising, prohibit Child Care Institutions, including Darul Atooms, from utilizing children for fundraising activities and urge media personnel to refrain from disclosing the identities of minors. Violators of these directives risk facing legal repercussions, including imprisonment or hefty fines, under the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
The development comes after few media houses in Kashmir were seen doing a story on juveniles on social media following which a circular has been issued by Child Welfare Committee Srinagar.
Time and again media fraternity has been sensitised about the serious issue of disclosure of identity of Children in Need of Care and Protection and Children in Conflict with Law as it is a commission of offence punishable under the relevant provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2015 [hereinafter referred to as JJ Act] for which the offender shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or fine which may extend to lakh rupees or both, it reads.
It has however been brought to the notice of this Child Welfare Committee that some of the media persons after shooting videos of children in Child Care Institutions [hereinafter referred to as CCIs] and Darul Alooms and other children in need of care and protection, making it viral on Facebook and other Social Media Platforms thereby committing offences, it added.
This Child Welfare Committee has vide Circular No.: CWC/Srinagar/Cir/2023/02 Dated 30.05.2023 appealed the media fraternity to refrain from commission of such offences. However, in view of turning deaf ear to the said appeal by some of the media persons/social media handlers by resorting to disclosure of identity of the children in utter violation of the laws, this Child Welfare Committee found it apt to send a written request to Director, Information Department for sensitisation of the media besides for pass on necessary' instructions to the concerned officers of his Department, to verify on regular basis, the credentials of all the persons who are carrying a mics, cameras and other media accessories and acting like media persons and violating the laws fearlessly, it added.
This was accordingly done vide communication No.: CWC.COM/2024/181-186 Dated: 22.03.2024, it reads.
Adding that it reads, “Reports are pouring in for continuous violation of the laws on the subject and this Child Welfare Committee has now come to the conclusion that violations of such offences in no case are to be tolerated and therefore decided that such of the media persons who may violate the laws fearlessly shall have to be booked and punished under the relevant provisions of the JJ Act for which they can be either imprisoned for a term which may extend to six months or fine which may extend to two lakh rupees or both. However, before doing so, it is hereby ordered as under”.
The Superintendents of all CCIs are directed not to allow entry of any person inside the CCIs without permission of the concerned authority.
All CCIs including Darul Atooms are directed to refrain from using children for collection of funds in any form at any public place or from door to door. Failing which it is to be treated as a warning for closure of the CCIs/ Darul Alooms besides initiating criminal action under law against such Superintendents/ Management.
By virtue of this notice, all concerned media persons are directed to refrain from disclosure of the identity of children in any way, may it be by shooting videos and making them viral on social media platforms. They are warned to treat it as the last and final warning and further action under relevant provisions of law shall be initiated against such offenders soon after publication of this notice.