Child protection unit in each district

In a landmark move, Bihar has notified formation of District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) to promote the interests of child, prevent violations of child rights and ensure effective implementation of Juvenile Justice Act 2000, as amended in 2006.

Bihar thus became the first state in the country to notify DCPUs in all its 38 districts and appoint an assistant director (social security) as the nodal person.

It was the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) of the Union women and child development ministry that proposed setting up of a State Child Protection Unit in each state/UT and DCPU in each district to ensure coordination of associated child protection services for vulnerable and destitute children, including juveniles.

DCPUs were set up at the initiative of department of social welfare in collaboration with Unicef-Patna. The DCPUs are statutory bodies formed under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000.

An eight-day training programme for DCPU consultants was also organized by the department of social welfare and Unicef from May 11 to May 18. As many as 40 consultants were trained on issues related to child rights and Juvenile Justice Act.

Social welfare department's principal secretary S Siddhu said, "All of us have a lot to look forward to in child protection after the establishment of DCPUs in the state. The additional human resources now available will certainly make a lot of difference to our work."

Children are languishing in remand homes and observation homes because of the difficult circumstances they faced in life. The objective is to maintain the standard of services provided in these homes, Siddhu said.

Bihar Unicef's field office chief Bijaya Rajbhandari thanked the social welfare department for initiating the innovative programme on child protection in the state.

"Unicef in collaboration with the state social welfare department is currently piloting DCPUs in 10 districts and plans to strengthen them by providing technical, managerial and monitoring support besides additional human resources," said social welfare department director Masood Hassan.link