Child rights commission chiefcalls on rape victim at GGH

The 13-year-old minor gave birth to a baby girl

Chairperson of the Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights G. Hymavathi on Saturday visited the Government General Hospital (GGH) here to meet the minor girl who was raped and impregnated by her cousin.

The 13-year-old gave birth to a baby girl in the hospital on Thursday and is recuperating.

Directive to CMO

Ms. Hymavathi asked the Chief Medical Officer to take good care of her health and other needs, and said the Women and Child Welfare Department must ensure immediate payment of compensation to the victim’s family. Ms. Hymavathi said she had spoken to the Education Department officials for her education after her recovery.

After learning that the girl’s mother was keen on taking her daughter and granddaughter home, Ms. Hymavathi, along with the officials of the Women and Child Welfare Department, counselled the victim’s parents on the need to give her proper care and support at this crucial juncture.

The parents finally gave their approval to shift the victim either to Swadhar Home or Bala Sadan after she was discharged from the hospital.

Victim’s parents counselled

The officials also counselled the victim’s parents on the need to adopt family planning after learning that they have six children, and the last child is three years old.

The teenager was repeatedly raped and impregnated by her 21-year-old cousin Mohan Kumar (son of her mother’s sister).

After dropping out of Class 3, the girl had been staying at home taking care of her younger siblings.

Ms. Hymavathi said the parents should educate themselves about the existing laws and take good care of their children. In the event of such tragedies, they could approach the Commission.

Free education

There were also government programmes under which free education was imparted to economically backward sections.

Parents should utilise these opportunities and educate their children who in turn would grow wise enough to take care of themselves.

Women Development and Child Welfare Department Project Director I. R. Bhargavi and Assistant Project Director B. Manoranjani were also present.

Rights campaign

Ms. Hymavathi said the Commission would organise a week-long United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) from November 14 to 20.

“It is a human rights treaty that sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children,” she explained.