Gauhati Chief Justice Champions Empathy in Child Justice System
In a significant address at the Assam Police Sishu Mitra Lecture Series, Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar delivered a powerful call to action, urging the integration of empathy into the justice delivery system to safeguard children's rights. The keynote speech, titled "Institutionalising Child Friendly Practices Across the Justice Delivery Chain," highlighted the critical need for compassionate approaches in legal proceedings involving minors.
Children as Present Citizens, Not Future Ones
Chief Justice Kumar made a compelling statement during his remarks, asserting, "Children are not citizens of the future; they are citizens of the present. Therefore, we all have a responsibility of upholding the rights of children, as enshrined in the law." He further emphasized that a robust legal framework alone is insufficient without the essential element of empathy to make the law truly effective and protective.
High-Profile Attendance at the Event
The programme witnessed participation from a distinguished gathering of judicial and administrative officials. Notable attendees included judges of the Gauhati High Court, such as Justice Kalyan Rai Surana, Justice Arun Dev Choudhury, and Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita. The event also saw the presence of judges from Pocso courts, senior officers from various government departments and the judiciary, duty bearers from the child protection system, and officers of the Assam Police, underscoring the collective commitment to child welfare.
Collaborative Efforts for Child Protection
Organized under the aegis of the Assam Police Sishu Mitra Programme, the lecture series featured a welcome address by State Director General of Police, Harmeet Singh. The event was a collaborative endeavor, jointly organized with Unicef and Utsah Child Rights Organisation, an Assam-based child rights NGO, highlighting the multi-stakeholder approach to enhancing child-friendly practices in the justice system.
This initiative marks a pivotal step towards reforming justice delivery mechanisms to be more inclusive and sensitive to the needs of children, reinforcing the legal and moral imperative to protect their rights in the present day.
