GSCPCR takes serious note of rising cases of newborns found abandoned in Goa

Team Herald

PANJIM: Taking serious cognisance of rising incidents of newborns found abandoned across the State, the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) has issued an advisory to the Goa Police, the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) and the Health Services and sought its implementation followed by an action taken report within four weeks. 

The advisory comes in wake of a recent shocking incident of a female newborn found abandoned at Vasco. 

In last five years, from 2017 onwards, Goa has recorded cases of 11 infants found abandoned.

Of these four have been registered during the current year. 

 “The recent incidences of newborn abandonment in Goa, most of it in unsafe places recently, is very perturbing. The State has recorded 11 such cases in last five years from 2017-2022, with four being registered in 2022. Of these, three abandoned infants have succumbed to the gory aftermath of unsafe abandonments spanning dog bites to inflict by garbage,” GSCPCR chairperson Peter Borges said in the advisory.

Borges said with the series of incidents of baby abandonment, there is a need for greater prevention efforts and actions for the protection of children by all stakeholders for the future. GSCPCR has called for close-coordinated, multi-sectoral, and collaborative efforts between all stakeholders. 

The Commission has directed the WCD to ensure that the Specialised Adoption Agencies in Goa, such as Matruchaaya and Caritas Goa to set up its own home cradle to receive abandoned children. It proposed special awareness and sensitisation programmes for anganwadi staff as most cases of pregnancies as well as unwanted pregnancies are known to these workers.  It also proposed capacity building initiative for anganwadi staff to educate and sensitise the parents and to reduce stigma surrounding abandonment, given their strong network in rural areas. 

It has sought annual action plan of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, which aims to end the evil of gender bias and ensure survival of the girl child, as many of the recent abandoned infants in Goa were girls. 

The Directorate of Health Services has been asked to put up signage to cradles at various places, ask hospitals and nursing homes to receive newborns that are unwanted and put them in child protection system for legal adoption. This signage may be similar to signage of hospital or pharmacy store, which are visible from a distance of 24×7 and 365 days.

Police have been asked to ensure that no FIR is registered against any biological parents during the inquiry process as per Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.