Tamil Nadu: Stakeholders call for revamp of dormant child rights commissions

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TNCPCR), despite handling several important child-related Acts from the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) to the Right to Education (RTE), has been lying dormant for a long time. Though the commission was formed in June 2025, the body has largely remained inactive for almost a year.

Stakeholders say that funding, revamping, and administrative restructuring are a need of the hour.

TNCPCR acts as a primary child rights watchdog at the State level. Though it’s supposed to be an independent body that monitors and reviews child-related Acts and ensures children’s rights are protected across the State, this is seldom the case in TN, stakeholders rue. Currently, it serves only as a nodal body alongside the Department of Children Welfare and Special Services (DCWSS).

With DCWSS itself lacking an administrative head and necessary staff, the plight of TNCPCR is deteriorating every passing day, allege child rights activists. “It’s vital that it’s operated as an independent body, like other states. Also, funding for TNCPCR needs to be increased.  From Rs 56 lakh per year, the funding was reduced to Rs 48 lakh and at present, it receives only Rs 40 lakh, whereas the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR) gets an allocation of Rs 7 crore,” said a TNCPCR member. “Due to a lack of funding, there are not enough resource persons, advocates, counselling rooms for children, counsellors, allowance, etc.”

TNCPCR is an apex monitoring body that oversees the RTE, Pocso, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. But there are no mechanisms by which members can function efficiently. “With the current commission to remain active till June 2028, it’s vital that the government intervenes,” urged another TNCPCR member.

Some of the demands placed by the members and activists to the government are that TNCPCR must be made an independent body, the selection process must be revamped by drawing inputs from field experts, the honorarium must be increased for members, quality members with high experience must be inducted and also review meetings must be held regularly.