SHILLONG: The Juvenile Justice Committee of the High Court of Meghalaya, in collaboration with the Social Welfare and Health Departments, organized a State-Level Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on the “Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: A Decade of Implementation and the Way Forward” at the High Court Auditorium on Thursday.
Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere, addressing the gathering, emphasized that the consultation was both a review of the Act’s implementation over the past decade and an audit of society’s commitment to children.
She highlighted the law’s focus on reform and rehabilitation for children in conflict with the law, rather than punishment, and the need for care and support for vulnerable children.
Justice Dere noted progress but pointed out ongoing challenges: delays in age determination, quality of care in institutions, lack of departmental convergence, substance abuse among children, and infrastructure gaps.
She called for institutionalization to remain a last resort in Meghalaya, given the state’s strong community and kinship networks, and urged greater coordination among police, education, health, and labour departments to address issues such as dropout rates, mental health, and child labour.
The Chief Justice also advocated for a real-time, state-level monitoring system and regular interaction among Juvenile Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees, warning, “If we fail a child today, we will face an offender tomorrow.”
Justice H. S. Thangkhiew, Justice B. Bhattacharjee, Additional Chief Secretary Sampath Kumar, and other senior officials attended the consultation, which featured technical sessions with resource persons sharing insights on the juvenile justice system.
(4FrontMedia news)
