Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Research Studies and Projects
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Interaction with the nodal Government agencies to ascertain the status regarding
framing of rules, appointment of judges, staff etc.;
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Find out the different kinds of homes set up or identified for the reception of children
falling within the ambit of the Act;
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Interviews with key institutions/academicians and child rights groups on their opinion on
the proper implementation of the Act;
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Examining the obligations cast on the Government and NGOs under the Act and ascertain
the status of its implementation;
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Examining the status of the special juvenile police unit to be created under the Act;
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Collecting statistics on the number of children who have been covered by the Act; and
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Compiling information with respect to the public interest litigation filed for the
implementation of the Act.
12.13 The 15-month research study started in March 2004. The study would collect data from
16 States, viz. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
At the time of writing this report, data were collected from the States of Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
From the data collected till date, it can be inferred that so far no special juvenile police units as
prescribed under the Act have been set up in the States of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan and West Bengal. The data also reveal that Juvenile Justice
Boards have not been set up in the State of Bihar, neither have the Child Welfare Committees in
the State of Madhya Pradesh been set up. Further, there were only two Juvenile Justice Boards
functioning for the entire State of West Bengal. The study is in progress.
B] Current Trends in Child Labour in Beedi Industry
12.14 The Commission has entrusted the research study on ‘Current Trends in Child Labour in
Beedi Industry’ to Surul Centre for Services in Rural Area (CSRA), a NGO based in Birbhum
District of West Bengal. The main objective of the study is to examine the magnitude as well as
the existent trends in child labour in the beedi industry, especially the socio-economic realities
that force young children to start beedi rolling at an early age.
12.15 The study has been undertaken in Bharatpur – II Block of Murshidabad District in West
Bengal. It has primarily focused on children in the age group of 5 to 7 years engaged in beedi
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