Why is it in the News?

The Ministry of Women and Child Development developed the “Track Child Portal”, which enables tracking of the missing and found children in all States/UTs including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, North Eastern States and Jharkhand.

What is the GHAR Portal?

• National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has developed and launched the portal GHAR - Go Home and Reunite, with the sole purpose of restoration and repatriation of children.
• The GHAR portal has been developed to digitally monitor and track the restoration and repatriation of children.
• Here's how the portal can help strayed children go home and reunite with their families:
  • The portal digitally tracks and monitors children who are in the juvenile justice system and have to be repatriated to another country, state or district.
  • It allows the digital transfer of cases of children to the Juvenile Justice Board/Child Welfare Committee of the state concerned.
    • It will help in speedy repatriation of children.
  • Where there is a requirement for a translator/interpreter/expert, a request will be sent to the state government concerned.
  • Child welfare committees and district child protection officers can ensure proper restoration and rehabilitation of children by digitally monitoring the progress of the case of the child.
  • A checklist format will be provided in the forms so that the children who are being hard to repatriate or children who are not getting their entitled compensation or other monetary benefits can be identified.
  • A list of government-implemented schemes will be provided so that at the time of restoration the Child Welfare Committees can link the child with the schemes to strengthen the family and ensure that the child remains with his/her family.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development is administering the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act, 2015) (as amended in 2021) and the Rules thereunder, to ensure the safety, security, dignity and well-being of children.
  • The Act provides for the protection of children in need of care and protection and those in conflict with the law by catering to their basic needs through care, protection, development, treatment and social reintegration.
• Under the JJ Act, 2015, the Child Welfare Committees have been empowered to make decisions regarding the children in need of care and protection for the children’s best interest.
  • They are also mandated to monitor the functioning of the Child Care Institutions (CCIs).
  • Similarly, under section 106 of the JJ Act, 2015, every state government has to constitute a District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) for every district to take up matters relating to children to ensure the implementation of the JJ Act, 2015 and its rules thereunder.
• To ensure effective coordination in child safety, protection and development, District Magistrates have been made the heads of DCPUs.
  • DMs have been empowered to review the functioning of DCPUs and CWCs at regular intervals to ensure prompt decisions as per provisions of the JJ Act and Rules are taken by these bodies, keeping in mind the best interests of the children.