The continuous catastrophe of COVID 19 pandemic, subsequent lockdown and ramification measures coupled with multiple natural disasters – the Amphan and Yaas cyclone have resulted in a parallel pandemic resulting in a child rights crisis.  It unmasked the invisible vulnerability of children exacerbating the multi-layered vulnerability and has exposed children towards worse forms of exploitation such as child labor, trafficking, child marriage, learning loss due to school closures, etc.

Caritas India’s partners, Bal Suraksha Abhiyan Trust, Seva Kendra Siliguri, and Anugyalaya Darjeeling Diocesan Social Service Society, Convener of North Bengal Child Rights Network (Network initiated by Caritas India)  raised the concern along with its member organizations about increased risks to vulnerable children due to lockdown and lack of access to justice due to nonexistence of Child Welfare Committee in Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

As per the government directives under Juvenile Justice Act, it is mandatory to form Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) in every district and to ensure their effective functioning.

For Darjeeling and Kalimpong (Now a District), Jalpaiguri CWC was assigned the responsibility. After Child Welfare Committee’s (CWC) term was over in 2018, Darjeeling and Kalimpong district did not have CWC. CWC members of Jalpaiguri were given additional charge of Darjeeling and Kalimpong district. Before lockdown, the CWC members were coming to Darjeeling and Kalimpong once a week to conduct the hearing of children’s cases.  But after last year’s lockdown, the CWC members have been conducting online hearings and, in the process, children are suffering a lot. In some cases, CWC members ask the victim child, parents/guardians, and police personnel to come all the way to Jalpaiguri from Darjeeling and Kalimpong which is costly in terms of resources and often inaccessible for the child and family.

Taking note of the situation, North Bengal Child Rights Network (NBCRN) met District Magistrates (DM’s) of both Darjeeling and Kalimpong and submitted the application for the speedy process for the formation of CWC in both the district. The network also shared with both the District Magistrates about the problem faced by children, NGOs, police, and other stakeholders are facing. Both DMs’ took it very seriously and assured to put forward the application to the state government.

Children Club members of Darjeeling on 18th January 21, during an interactive session with Rajya Sabha MP, Smt. Shanta Chhetri on behalf of the network had submitted the application for the speedy process for the formation of CWC in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts.

35 children’s clubs from Pokhriabong, Gorubathan, and Rangit GP also conducted a mass signature campaign for the formation of CWCs in Darjeeling and Kalimpong and submitted to WBCPCR (West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights) Smt. Shashi Panja (Minister of West Bengal – Dept. Of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare) and Director of Directorate of Child Rights & Trafficking (DCRT).

Soon after continuous follow-up, West Bengal State Government released the official notification for the application for the CWC for Kalimpong and Darjeeling district. By 6th February 21, for Darjeeling CWC, application processes were completed at Kolkata/ According to a government notification, CWC members joined duty on 29th May 2021.  However, the process for Kalimpong is still under review and slowed down due to 2^nd COVID wave and subsequent lockdown.  The CWC of Darjeeling is functional and proceedings have begun.

Empowering Dialogue by Child Leaders and NBCRN aggregated to the establishment of Child Welfare Committee in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. This is huge progress towards ensuring access to justice and strengthening Child Protection systems for Children in West Bengal.  This shall certainly aid in reducing the vulnerability of children and ensure that no child falls out of the social safety net.

Caritas India is currently working towards the establishment and strengthening of the Child Protection System and the elimination of Child Labour in all forms in collaboration with her Partners and Govt. Stakeholders through the Program Surokhit Shaishav, supported by Caritas Germany and BMZ.