Syllabus
Unit 1
Understanding Child Rights
Concept and evolution of child rights; child rights as human rights ; UNCRC and its Optional Protocols (Armed Conflict, Sale of Children, Communications Procedure), Implications of India being a Signatory to the UNCRC, :Four Core Principles: Non-discrimination, Best Interests of the Child, Right to Survival and Development, and Right to Participation ; Legal and policy instruments: UNCRC, Constitution of India, JJ Act, 2015, POCSO Act 2012, RTE Act 2009, RPwD Act,2016, and CPCR Act, 2005.
Unit 2
Child Rights Policies, Programs, and Structures
National Charter for Children (2004), National Plan of Action for Children (2016); Policies at state level and specific sectoral policies (education, health, nutrition, protection), Institutional frameworks: NCPCR, SCPCRs, Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards, Special POCSO Courts, Budgeting for children and child-centric governance
Unit 3
Child Protection Frameworks and Tools
Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) and Mission Vatsalya (2022), Child Protection Policies (organizational and institutional), Case management cycle and tools: Risk assessment, Child safeguarding frameworks, Individual Care Plan, Social Investigation Reports, Protection from online abuse and digital safety frameworks (as per 2021 IT Rules)
Unit 4
Interventions and Multidisciplinary Approaches
Role of social workers, counselors, police, educators, and judiciary in child protection, Child rights-based programming and justice in the Juvenile Justice system, Counselling for children in vulnerable situations: survivors of abuse, substance use, trafficking, mental health issues, and children in Child Care Institutions (CCIs), Community-based rehabilitation and family strengthening approaches
Unit 5
Case Discussions and Critical Reflection
Analysis of landmark cases and judicial responses: Nithari Case, Preet Mandir Case, Kavdas-Kalyani, Freddy Peat, and newer digital-era cases involving cyber abuse or trafficking, Role of media, civil society, and state in redressal and accountability, ; Role-play and simulation: Investigating a case using ICP tools and trauma-informed approaches
Text Books / References
Textbooks:
- Bajpai, Asha (2018). Child Rights in India: Law, Policy and Practice, Oxford University Press.
- UNICEF & Save the Children (2022). The State of the World’s Children: On My Mind – Promoting, Protecting and Caring for Children’s Mental Health.
- NCPCR (2021). Guidelines for Child Participation in Governance and Decision-Making.
- MWCD (2022). Mission Vatsalya Guidelines.
- UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (2021). General Comment No. 25: Children’s Rights in the Digital Environment.
Suggested Readings:
- HAQ Centre for Child Rights (2020). Status of Child Rights in India Reports.
- Centre for Child and the Law, NLSIU (2023). Child Protection Manual for Law Enforcement.
- Better Care Network (2020). Guidelines on Family-Based Alternative Care and De-Institutionalization.
- National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) (Annual). Crime in India – Juvenile Crime Statistics.
- Childline India Foundation. Case Studies and SOPs on Emergency Interventions with Children.
Introduction
This course provides students with a grounded understanding of child rights and child protection from a rights-based, multidisciplinary perspective. With emphasis on the UNCRC, Indian legal frameworks, and evolving intervention models, the course equips future practitioners with the analytical and practical skills needed to engage in effective child protection work across settings. This course provides critical insights into the role of the state and legislative systems in protecting children’s rights and also examine national and international frameworks that safeguard children’s rights, setting the stage for a deeper understanding of child protection systems. It encourages ethical decision-making, critical reflection on landmark cases, and integrated practice in both community and institutional contexts.
Objectives and Outcomes
Course Objectives:
- Develop conceptual clarity on child rights as human rights and understand their legal foundations.
- Critically examine child welfare and protection policies, programs, and implementation structures in India.
- Understand and apply a multidisciplinary approach in child protection settings, including in legal and institutional frameworks.
- Build capacities to engage with children in vulnerable situations using counselling, participatory, and rights-based tools.
- Reflect critically on landmark child rights violations and the systems of redressal and justice.
CO-PO Mapping: (Course Outcome and Program Outcome Mapping)
| |
PO1 |
PO2 |
PO3 |
PO4 |
PO5 |
PSO1 |
PSO2 |
PSO3 |
PSO4 |
PSO5 |
| CO1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
| CO2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
| CO3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| CO4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| CO5 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
Course Outcomes:
- Demonstrate understanding of child rights frameworks at global, national, and state levels.
- Analyze and critique major policies and programs for children in need of care and protection.
- Apply multidisciplinary strategies for working with children in institutional and non-institutional care settings.
- Engage in rights-based, ethical, and participatory intervention practices with children.
- Critically analyze landmark cases to understand systemic challenges and opportunities for reform.
