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TMI Blog2006 (4) TMI 506X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... en made both in Part III and IV of the Constitution of India, besides other provisions in these parts which are also significant. The best interest of the child has been regarded as a primary consideration in our Constitution. Article 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Article 15(3) provides that this shall not prevent the State from making any special provision for women and children. Article 21A inserted by 86th Constitutional Amendment provides for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years. Article 24 prohibits employment of children below the age of fourteen years in any factory or mine or engagement in other hazardous employment. The other provisions of Part III that may be noted are Articles 14, 21 and 23. Article 14 provides that the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India. Article 21 provides that no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. Article 23 prohibits trafficking in human beings and forced labour. We may also note some provi ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... Act, 2000 replaced the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 to comply with the provisions of the Convention on the rights of the child which has been acceded to by India in 1992. In addition to above, the national policy for children was adopted on 22nd August, 1974. This policy, inter alia, lays down that State shall provide adequate services for children both before and after birth, and during the growing stages for their full physical, mental and social development. The measures suggested include amongst others a comprehensive health programme, supplementary nutrition for mothers and children, promotion of physical education and recreational activities, special consideration for children of weaker sections and prevention of exploitation of children. India acceded to the UN Convention on the rights of the child in December 1992 to reiterate its commitment to the cause of the children. The objective of the Convention is to give every child the right to survival and development in a healthy and congenial environment. The UN General Assembly Special Session on children held in New York in May 2002 was attended by an Indian delegation led by Minister of Human Resource Development and ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ldren were not given any special or extra meals. In some cases, occasionally, some extra food, mostly in the form of a glass of milk, was available to children. In some jails, separate food was being provided only to grown up children, over the age of five years. But the quality of food would be same as supplied to adult prisoners. (iv) No special consideration was reported to be given to child bearing women inmates, in matters of good or other facilities. The same food and the same facilities were given to all women inmates, irrespective of the fact whether their children were also living with them or not. (v) No separate or specialised medical facilities for children were available in jails. (vi) Barring a few, most mother prisoners considered that their stay in jails would have a negative impact on the physical as well as mental development of their children. (vii) Crowded environment, lack of appropriate food, shelter and above all, deprivation of affection of other members of the family, particularly the father was generally perceived by the mothers as big stumbling blocks for the proper development of their children in the formative years of life. (viii) Mother ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... recreational programmes/facilities should also be made available to the children of different age groups. (viii) A child living in a jail along with her incarcerated mother is not desirable at all. In fact, this should be as only the last resort when all other possibilities of keeping the child under safe custody elsewhere have been tried and have failed. In any case, it should be a continuous endeavour of all the sectors of the criminal justice system that the least number of children are following their mothers to live in jails. The State Governments and Union Territories were requested to consider the aforesaid suggestions for implementation. By filing IA Nos.1 and 7, the attention of this Court has been drawn to the plight of little children on account of the arrest of their mothers for certain criminal offences. I.A. No. 1 was filed by Women's Action Research and Legal Action for Women (WARLAW), through its program coordinator, Ms. Babita Verma stating that more than 70% of the women prisoners are married and have children. At the time of arrest of the women prisoners having children, indiscriminate arrest is not confined only to women/mother prisoners but such ar ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... the submission that with a view to frame some guidelines and issue instructions, it would be necessary to first ascertain the number of female prisoners in each of the jails, in each of the States/union Territories, the offences for which they have been arrested; the duration of their detention and whether children with any of those female prisoners are also lodged in jail. The Court directed the States and Union Territories to disclose on affidavit the following : (i) The number of female prisoners (undertrial) together with the nature of offence for which they have been detained; (ii) Period of their detention; (iii) Children, if any, who are with the mothers lodged in the jail; (iv) Number of convicted female prisoners and whether any children are also lodged with such convicts in the jails; (v) Whether any facilities are available in the jail concerned for taking care of such children and, if so, the type of facilities. Various State Governments and Union Territories submitted reports which provided detailed answers to the aforestated questions. The following is a brief conspectus of the reports filed : In the Andaman Nicobar Islands, children are allow ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... arn to read and write. TV and fans for the female prisoners and their kids have been provided by some social service organizations, as also sports and recreation material, swings and cycles. Children are taken to public parks and for public functions to get acquainted with the outside world. After the age of six, these children are sent to the local 'children's home', where their primary education starts. Female children are sent to the Rajkumari Children's Home at Jabalpur where there is adequate arrangement of education In Delhi, children are allowed to live with their mothers up to the age of 6 years. A special diet inclusive of 750 gm milk and one egg each is provided to children in jail. Proper diets and vaccine for popular diseases are adequately provided for the children. Clothing is also provided for. Children above 4 years are taught to read and write. They are prepared for admission to outside schools. Sponsorships for the funding of the children education is provided for by the CASP (Community Aid Sponsorship Programme). Two NGO's by the name of Mahila Pratikraksha mandal and Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation run crhches. Picnics are arranged by NGO ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... the children are to leave the jail, they are handed over to the relatives or to some trustworthy person, Agency or school. In Kerala, a special diet and medical facilities are made available as prescribed by the Medical Officer. Special clothing can also be so prescribed. In Lakshadweep, it was reported that there is no undertrial prisoner lodged in jail along with her child and, therefore, need for making arrangements for children along with mothers is not felt necessary. In Madhya Pradesh, children are allowed to live with their mothers up to the age of 4 years or in special cases up to 6 years by the approval of the Superintendent. There is provision for special ration above and beyond the normal labouring ration for nursing mother and for supplementary cow's milk for children under the age of 1 year not receiving sufficient milk from the mother. Provision is also made for ration for children from 12-18 months and from 18-24 months. For children who are leaving the jail, in consultation with the District Magistrate the children are handed over to the relatives or to some trustworthy person as selected by the District Magistrate himself. In Maharashtra, children are ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... with suitable clothing. On leaving the jail, in consultation with the District Magistrate, the children are handed over to the relatives or to some trustworthy person, as selected by the District Magistrate himself. In Pondicherry, a special diet is available as prescribed by the Medical Officer. Play things, toys etc. are provided to the children at Government cost or through NGOs. In Punjab, children under the age of one year are provided with milk and sugar. Provision is also made for ration for children from 12-18 months and from 18-24 months. Extra diet is available on the advice of the Medical Officer. There is a play way nursery and one aaya or attendant who looks after the children from time to time. In Rajasthan, a special diet is available under the rules of the Jail Manual. Special medical facilities are also provided for as prescribed in the manual. Clothing and toys are provided for by NGOs. In Tamil Nadu, children are allowed to live with their mothers up to the age of 6 years. A special diet and special clothing are available as prescribed by the Medical Officer. Children under 3 years of age are treated in the crhche and those upto the age of 6 years are trea ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... on 29th August, 2002, a field action project prepared by the Tata Institute of Social Science on situation of children of prisoners was placed before this Court. Responses thereto have been filed by the Union of India as well as the State Governments. The report puts forward five grounds that form the basis for the suggestion to provide facilities for minors accompanying their mothers in the prison : a) The prison environment is not conducive to the normal growth and development of children; b) Many children are born in prison and have never experienced a normal family life, sometimes till the age permitted to stay inside (four to five years); c) Socialization patters get severely affected due to their stay in prison. Their only image of male authority figures is that of police and prison officials. They are unaware of the concept of a home, as we know it. Boys may sometimes be found talking in the female gender, having grown up only among women confined in the female ward. Unusual sights, like animals on the road (seen on the way to Court with the mother) are frightening. d) Children get transferred with their mothers from one prison to another, frequently (due to over ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... nt of Women and Child Development/Welfare and the Juvenile Justice Administration (under the Juvenile Justice Act) and the Probation Department in relation to the welfare measures that can be taken for children of undertrial and incarcerated prisoners, both living within and outside the jail premises. The Union of India, in its affidavit, has pointed out that it has taken several measures for the benefit of children in general, including children of women prisoners in this larger group. These measures include 'Sarva Shiksha Yojna', Reproductive and Child Health Programme, and Integrated Child Development Projects and passing of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 for the welfare of children in general. Union of India also pointed out that the Swadhar scheme has been launched by the Department of Woman and Child Development with the objective of providing for the primary needs of shelter, food, clothing, care, emotional support and counselling to the women convicts and their children, when these women are released from jail and do not have any family support, among other groups of disadvantaged women. Reference has already been made to the ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... f women prisoners can reside in prison, their welfare through a crhche and nursery, provision of adequate clothes suiting the climatic conditions, regular medical examination, education and recreation, nutrition for children and pregnant and nursing mothers. Various provisions of the Constitution and statutes have been noticed earlier which cast an obligation on the State to look after the welfare of children and provide for social, educational and cultural development of the child with its dignity intact and protected from any kind of exploitation. Children are to be given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in a condition of freedom and dignity. We have also noted U.N. conventions to which India is a signatory on the Rights of the Child. This Court has, in several cases, accepted International Conventions as enforceable when these Conventions elucidate and effectuate the fundamental rights under the Constitution. They have also been read as part of domestic law, as long as there is no inconsistency between the Convention and domestic law (See Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan [(1997) 6 SCC 241]). In Sheela Barse v. Secretary, Children's Aid Society ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... f India, it becomes apparent that children of women prisoners who are living in jail require additional protection. In many respects, they suffer the consequences of neglect. While some States have taken certain positive measures to look after the interests of these children, but a lot more is required to be done in the States and Union Territories for looking after the interest of the children. It is in this light that it becomes necessary to issue directions so as to ensure that the minimum standards are met by all States and Union Territories vis-`-vis the children of women prisoners living in prison. In light of various reports referred to above, affidavits of various State Governments, Union Territories, Union of India and submissions made, we issue the following guidelines : 1. A child shall not be treated as an undertrial/convict while in jail with his/her mother. Such a child is entitled to food, shelter, medical care, clothing, education and recreational facilities as a matter of right. 2. Pregnancy: a. Before sending a woman who is pregnant to a jail, the concerned authorities must ensure that jail in question has the basic minimum facilities for child deliver ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... undue hardships on both mother and child due to physical distance. c. Such children shall be kept in protective custody until their mother is released or the child attains such age as to earn his/her own livelihood. d. Children kept under the protective custody in a home of the Department of Social Welfare shall be allowed to meet the mother at least once a week. The Director, Social Welfare Department, shall ensure that such children are brought to the prison for this purpose on the date fixed by the Superintendent of Prisons. e. When a female prisoner dies and leaves behind a child, the Superintendent shall inform the District Magistrate concerned and he shall arrange for the proper care of the child. Should the concerned relative(s) be unwilling to support the child, the District Magistrate shall either place the child in an approved institution/home run by the State Social Welfare Department or hand the child over to a responsible person for care and maintenance. 5. Food, clothing, medical care and shelter: a. Children in jail shall be provided with adequate clothing suiting the local climatic requirement for which the State/U.T. Government shall lay down the scales ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... t in such sub-jails, unless proper facilities can be ensured which would make for a conducive environment there, for proper biological, psychological and social growth. 8. The stay of children in crowded barracks amidst women convicts, undertrials, offenders relating to all types of crimes including violent crimes is certainly harmful for the development of their personality. Therefore, children deserve to be separated from such environments on a priority basis. 9. Diet : Dietary scale for institutionalized infants/children prepared by Dr. A.M. Dwarkadas Motiwala, MD (Paediatrics) and Fellowship in Neonatology (USA) has been submitted by Mr. Sanjay Parikh. The document submitted recommends exclusive breastfeeding on the demand of the baby day and night. If for some reason, the mother cannot feed the baby, undiluted fresh milk can be given to the baby. It is emphasized that dilution is not recommended; especially for low socio-economic groups who are also illiterate, ignorant, their children are already malnourished and are prone to gastroenteritis and other infections due to poor living conditions and unhygienic food habits. Also, where the drinking water is not safe/reli ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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