Government Issues Guidelines To Protect Children Affected By COVID-19

On Thursday, the Indian government issued guidelines, to protect children affected by COVID-19. Fixed responsibilities have been allotted to the states, district magistrates, police, Panchayati Raj institutions, urban local bodies, etc.

The guidelines to protect children, ensure that their best interests

Ram Mohan Mishra, the Women and Child Development Ministry Secretary wrote a letter to all the chief secretaries of all the states and Union territories. The letter said that many major responsibilities, of the primary duty holders, have been enlisted, to ensure that the interests of children is on priority.

According to the latest guidelines to protect children, states will have to reach out to children who are in distress, via outreach and surveys. They will then have to make a database, containing the profiles of these children, along with the details about their specific needs and requirements. All of this data will then have to be uploaded on the Track Child portal.

In the meanwhile, Mishra has directed all the states to house children, in temporarily allocated child care institutions (CCIs). This is for those kids, whose parents have been unwell due to COVID-19, and their extended family isn't available to look after them.

The guidelines also say that arrangements to make isolation facilities within the CCIs, to safeguard children suffering from COVID-19, will also have to be made. Child psychologists, and counsellors, will have to be deployed, to interact with these children.

Besides that, states have also been asked to launch a helpline number, to help children with their psychosocial needs.

As for the district magistrates, they will act as the guardians, for the children who have been badly affected by COVID-19. They will be involved in creating a district-level multi-departmental task force, to ensure that all affected children are benefitted.

The Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies, will have to make sure that all the child protection committees at the panchayat level, keep the district administration informed about children in distress.