India Child Welfare Exploitation
Quotas for rounding up children and temporary homes doubling as adoption centers–these are two examples this week of exploitation in India.
The first story is Waiting on the pavement and pining for their loved ones [The Hindu 1/30/12]. It begins,
“Labourers, many from different parts of India, are seated on the pavement. Every time a vehicle goes past them toward the compound, they stand up, pinning their hopes on the arrival of an officer. The wait is for their child under the custody of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), and their hope is that their child will be returned.”
“The scene witnessed recently, along the lane leading to the CWC premises in Purasawalkam in Chennai, simply reflects the agony of migrant labourers trying to obtain their children who had gone missing. “
One Family’s Story
“Santoshi and Gabbar, migrant workers from Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, were waiting with their two sons. “Our daughter Lakshmi (8) was taken by the police on Pongal day last week. We were buying sweets near the Marina beach and suddenly, three police officers took her away,” said Santoshi on Friday, breaking down as she explained that they had been coming there every other day during that week.
Buying sweets or begging?
Luckily for her, the CWC concluded its proceedings later that evening and returned the couple’s daughter. According to P. Manorama, Chairperson, CWC, the child was brought to the committee since she was found begging on the day before Pongal. “We even found the child with money.”
However, the couple had told The Hindu that the girl was buying sweets at a stall near the Marina with her mother standing nearby.
The CWC also said its enquiry revealed that the family came to Chennai and was living here for more than two years, but the child had never been to school. Santoshi and Gabbar, however, had told The Hindu that they had been in Chennai for less than two months. “
Bureaucratic Delays and Hardships (Translating ration cards)
“Explaining the delay in handing over the girl to her parents, Ms. Manorama said: “Cases are posted for hearing 15 days after the child is brought, which gives us sufficient time to collect details about the whereabouts of the parents. And after Pongal holidays, the Purasawalkam unit of the CWC could meet only on Friday.”
The parents of the girl agreed before the committee to go back to their hometown, and produced train tickets as the proof of intent. “But it is not in our hands to ensure that the child does not go back to begging in her hometown,” she added.
The child was away from her parents for about a week, but the period was rather tormenting for Santoshi and Gabbar. According to the couple, the CWC, as part of its procedure to establish the parents’ identity, asked for their ration card. “Our ration card is in Hindi, and they wanted it translated to English,” said Gabbar. The CWC denied that it had asked for a translated copy of the family’s ration card. However, Santoshi and Gabbar told The Hindu that they were asked for a translated copy, and they tried in many shops, even big ones, but didn’t succeed in getting the translation done. “
The Quota
“The CWC, functioning under the Department of Social Defence, has the primary function of caring for “neglected” or “abandoned” children. Personnel from the Juvenile Aid Protection Unit rescue such children and bring them to the CWC, in addition to NGOs and other citizens contacting the child helpline. Sources in the unit said as many as 318 children were rescued in 2011 and in 2012 so far, 49 children have been rescued.
Every day about three to four beats (teams of two members of the unit) set out on “rounds” at different spots, such as railway stations, bus terminuses, or busy market areas. “We look for children without slippers, dressed in rags or those who look helpless. I have been motivating my teams to rescue at least one child every day,” said an official. “
“Efficient process needed”
Following the rescue, the CWC follows a detailed procedure, involving enquiries on the child’s parents and background and whether he/she was going to school. The CWC may be justified in adopting a thorough procedure to verify the identity of parents to ensure the child, when returned, would be taken care of well and provided education, but the process of this verification is not only slow, but also ambiguous in some parents’ view. Indefinite waits on the premises, inadequate information and language barriers only make their situation worse.
Pullamma and Venkateswarulu, a couple from Machilipatnam, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, were waiting for an update on their 10-year-old-daughter Sandya Priyanka. As construction labourers, Venkateswarulu makes Rs.300 every day, while Pullamma gets a daily wage of Rs.200. “We were near Anna Salai and she went to buy a bun. Suddenly, we found her missing … we were later directed to this place. In addition to our ration card, they asked for her school certificate and we have brought it today,” says Pullamma, showing a letter attested by their District Educational Officer. Some parents say they are happy with the care given at the CWC’s reception home, but the separation can be painful.
“The food and place is okay, but the child misses us a lot,” says another mother, waiting for her son.”
Reform Needed
“A more systematic and efficient process, which is also transparent, can help prevent further victimisation of parents or migrant labourers, who are often in a disadvantageous position already, say activists working in the area of child rights and protection.
Vidya Reddy of Tulir – Centre for the Prevention and Healing Child Sexual Abuse, says no documentation that substantiates the orders is provided to the family or the complainant. “What can a migrant workers’ family make of an order? There is no advice available on the next possible recourse. Sadly, the Juvenile Justice system is designed as one that addresses issues of those in a socio-economically disadvantaged position. We see that the delivery of services to this section is always poor.” “
Second Story
Are short stay homes hand in glove with adoption centres? [Mid-Day 1/31/12 by Kaumudi Gurjar] says “Activists smell ‘baby booking’ racket as authorities seek explanation from SOFOSH and short stay home Chaitanya Mahila Mandal upon finding pregnant 15-yr-old under care of adoption centre worker at Sassoon General Hospital
The Women and Child Development department has sought an explanation from the Society of Friends of Sassoon Hospital (SOFOSH), an adoption centre, and the Chaitanya Mahila Mandal, a short stay home, after it found a 15-year-old physically challenged pregnant girl was being looked after by a caretaker from SOFOSH during her hospitalisation at Sassoon
The matter came to light when a couple of Child Welfare Committee (CWC) members had gone to visit a rape victim at the hospital on January 24.
CWC order violated
Earlier, the teenager was shifted to Chaitanya Mahila Mandal in accordance with CWC orders, which stated that if the teenager needed assistance during her hospitalisation, it was the short stay home’s responsibility to provide her with a caretaker.
CWC member Anita Vipat said, “A SOFOSH caretaker approached us and informed that a 15-year-old pregnant girl was being looked after in the hospital. She said that the institute does not have permission to provide accommodation and care to unwed mothers. This raised our suspicion and after initiating a probe, we discovered that the girl was transferred to a short stay home on January 18 after her mother had approached this institute.
“We have sought a four-point explanation from the short stay home: why a SOFOSH caretaker was accompanying the girl, whether a police case was registered against the suspect who had allegedly abused the girl, whether the victim’s parents have lodged a complaint, and whether the girl’s statement was recorded?” She added that a similar explanation had been sought from SOFOSH.
Anjali Pawar, director of Sakhee, an NGO, said, “This is not the first time that a girl transferred to a short stay home has been found to be under the care of an adoption centre. We have every reason to suspect that this is how adoption centres ‘book’ babies. Last time, four unwed mothers were found in the same institute. I appeal to the authorities to take strict action against the guilty.”
Past controversy
This is not the first time that SOFOSH has been embroiled in a controversy. Last year, during a raid conducted by the District Women and Child Development Officer Suvarna Pawar, four pregnant girls were found to be staying at the adoption centre, following which Pawar had issued a show-cause notice to the adoption centre.
During inquiry it surfaced that only one of the pregnant girls staying at the Rescue Foundation, a short stay home, had been legally transferred to SOFOSH as her delivery date was nearing.”
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Quotas are not in the best interest of children. Adoption centers should be separated from pregnancy assistance and laws should be followed.
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