Policy-Level Interventions

Access to Justice for Children can only have an enduring impact for generations to come if grassroots work goes hand-in-hand with advocacy to change national laws, systems, and policies to advance child protection, and to ensure children receive their rights to public services like quality education and healthcare.

Since Access to Justice for Children was initiated, our partnership has advocated politically and legally to effect lasting change.
 

• In September 2022, the Supreme Court of India ordered that Para Legal Volunteers (PLVS) should be placed in police stations across the country in cases pertaining to offenses against children, following a petition filed by one of our national partners, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA). This will help to ensure that First Information Reports (FIRs) are filed swiftly when a child reports a crime and create an additional layer of protection for children when entering a police station.

• Building on this work, the Supreme Court mandated the appointment of Support Persons across all POCSO cases, stating it to be a “legal entitlement” of all victims in October 2023.

• The Fast Track Special Courts Scheme, which is focused on accelerating justice for children, received an additional US $23.47 million. 755 are now functional across the country

• Trafficking accepted as organized crime under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, which is India’s new criminal code

• A new scheme for victims of child sexual abuse to facilitate their immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services for long-term rehabilitation was drafted by members of the Access to Justice partnership, accepted, and notified by Government of India

• PICKET approach to achieve a tipping point for child marriage was adopted by several State Governments as a model for intervention and action

• All recommendations given to the Parliamentary Standing Committee were accepted on the National Policy on Child Labor, including zero tolerance in the Government supply chain

• Memoranda of Understanding signed with:

○ Police Departments of Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
○ State Legal Services Authorities of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
○ Labor Department of Andhra Pradesh
○ State Government of Uttarakhand

• Earlier MoUs in the states of Kerala, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh and with Railway Protection Force continue, facilitating support in action against child protection issues