Human Rights : Enforcement Mechanism
in 2007. The mandate of the Commission is to review various laws, policies basing on its feedback from the grass roots level, and suggest the necessary mechanism to the government to meet the constitutional and international obligations of the State to adopt such policies according to the needs of each region in the country. It can inquire in any matter relating to the violation of rights of children, non-implementation of any law or policy either on its own, basing on the complaints received by the victim or anybody on behalf of the victim. It has the power to approach any High Court or Supreme Court for such remedy or order in the augmentation of the rights of children. The commission has the powers of a Civil Court while inquiring any matter concerning the violation or protection of the rights of children. Though there is a variance in describing the age of children between 14 to18 under various laws, according to this Act, a child is defined as below the age of 18 years. Hence, it is implied that every authority and legal provision need to consider child means below the age of 18 years. 10. Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights: Basing on the provisions of the Act, about 18 states in the country established child rights commissions at the state level. The objective of the state commissions is to oversee the welfare of children in the state and to advise the government to take necessary steps to augment the rights of children in every respect in order to bloom their tender age with happiness. The Government of Maharashtra accordingly in 2007 itself constituted the State level Commission on the lines of the National Commission. The state had adopted a policy of Children in 1974 itself. The Commission since its establishment submitted a number of reports to the government to consider various aspects in the augmentation of the rights of children with an emphasis on the rights of slum, neglected, destitute and street children. In 2012, it has conducted a National level symposium to take necessary steps to protect the rights of children of the Asia Biggest slum 'Dharavi'. Apart from various activities, the Commission in conjunction with the state government training institute 'YASHADA' situated in Pune prepared a draft policy to be adopted by the government to augment the rights of children. In order to discharge its commitment, the government recently appointed a 64-member body headed by Women and Child Welfare Minister, Smt. Varsha Gaikwad to finalise the policy at the earliest.
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