Over 200 child rights violation cases in Assam during lockdown and coronavirus pandemic

Assam witnessed over 200 cases related to violence against children, including over 100 about sexual abuse of children during the lockdown and Coronavirus pandemic since March.

Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) said although there was minimal movement of people during the lockdown, the state saw no let up in number of cases related to child rights violation.

"It has been found that even during the lockdown and post lockdown, the cases of violence against children have not stopped but has rather increased. A total of 216 cases has been registered since the countrywide lockdown was imposed in March, of 113 cases were related to sexual abuse of children. As many as 13 cases were related to child labour, three of abduction, 47 cases of child marriage were addressed by the district child protection units while more than 40 other cases of other offences against children were also reported," an official in the commission told DH.

The commission also warned that due to the economical and social implications associated with the lockdown, a large number of children would be engaged as child labour and trafficking of children would increase as more children would fall prey to the racket of traffickers.

It also issued a set of guidelines and had also taken up the complaints received during the pandemic with various agencies like police, childline and education department.

The commission also organised a webinar recently to identify the interventions and challenges faced by the key stakeholders during the pandemic, mapping of future intervention and to further strengthen the child protection mechanism.