24 Jan 2023  |   07:05am IST

The Goa Child Rights Commission is a tiny two-room govt flat that has no internet or phone connectivity

Its Chairman doesn’t go to office in the heart of Panjim, because he gets cut off from the outside world; the office is tucked away and needs detective skills to get there; its helpline phone number ‘does not exist’

PRATIK PARAB

PANJIM: Even as the fifth major incident of rape and/or killing of minor children took place in the first 23 days of January, the agency commissioned to protect the rights of children in Goa is battling for some of its own basic rights. The Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) tasked with the responsibility of monitoring and taking steps to control and eradicate violence against minors has an apology of an office in a tiny two-room government flat. This flat called the office is a tiny two-room government quarter in St Inez which is almost inaccessible.

There is hardly any place to seat even three people, leave alone a commission that needs to record complaints, and statements and have conferences. 

But suppose there was some space, but even that wouldn’t serve the purpose because the commission does not have any internet connection while the mobile network in that flat is next to negligible.

The office ‘operates’ in a two-room government quarter, on the ground floor of the Government Quarters, opposite Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services in St Inez; doesn't have a basic internet connection as well.

The Child Rights Commission exists, but its phone numbers do not

The telephone number given as helpline +91-832-2421870 is not active. In addition to that there are mobile phone numbers +also mentioned. When the landline number is dialled the response is “This number does not exist”.

Of the two mobile numbers mentioned one belongs to the Chairman of GSCPCR Peter Borges, while the other “does not exist too.”

When contacted the Chairman of GSCPCR Peter Borges confirmed that the phones are down. “There is no internet connectivity to the office. Because the office is in a remote place, the mobile phone connectivity too is very weak so I hardly visit the office,” he said. 

“We have contacted the administration and conveyed the problems and are awaiting a resolution,” he said. 

There has been a gross failure to rehabilitate victims of sexual violence: Special Secy Home

The government has importantly admitted that there has been a gross failure to rehabilitate child victims of sexual violence. Very low conviction rate exists in the State with several POCSO (Prevention of Crime and Sexual Offences) cases ending in acquittals.

Sanjith Rodrigues, Secretary, Commission for the protection of Child Rights and Special Secretary, Home said, “There exists also a grim reality of a gross failure to support and rehabilitate the victims and their families in terms of victim compensation too. As a result of this, there are instances of victims and their families turning hostile, not cooperating and losing hope.”

The Commission also accepts the fact that sexual crimes against children have captured the stage for quite some time now with Goa too having witnessed a surge in recent times.

The Goa Police and Child Rights Commission have been organising training for PSIs on “Restorative Care and Justice for POCSO victims”. The Office of Superintendent of Police (Training) and Child Rights Commission launched a series of training for police sub inspectors. The training which revolved around the need for convergence between police and child protection systems to ensure adequate support services for children as provided in POCSO Rules 2020.