Delhi's child rights body left defunct for months as key positions stay vacant

The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), a crucial statutory body responsible for safeguarding children's welfare, has been largely inactive for nearly nine months due to vacant leadership positions and lack of operational staff.

- AIMAN FATIMA

NEW DELHI:

Since July 2023, when the tenure of the last chairperson ended, the commission has been unable to carry out essential duties, including reporting on cases of child abuse, conducting studies on missing children, and overseeing measures to curb child labor. With no chairperson or staff in place, the organisation has been reduced to a non-functional entity.

"The commission plays a vital role in monitoring cases of child abuse, missing children, and child labor, but its prolonged inactivity is concerning," said a former government official. "Without leadership, key interventions are being delayed, leaving vulnerable children without support."