Andhra child rights commission: Often it is made mandatory to write the father's name while filling the forms in government offices, schools-colleges and online portals. But just think about those children and mothers whose family circumstances are not normal. Such children have to visit offices unnecessarily to prove their identity, get admission or avail the benefits of government schemes. Now Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (AP SCPCR) has taken a big initiative on this serious and sensitive issue. The Commission has demanded from the State Government that where it is not required by law, filling the father's name in all government forms and official records should be made completely optional.
Basic facilities stop due to absence of father's name. Andhra child rights commission
The Commission clearly says that no child's education, identity, scholarship or benefits of government welfare schemes should be stopped just because he does not have information related to his father. In the current system, there are many online systems and forms where the application does not proceed without filling the father's name.
Due to this necessity, children have to face huge difficulties in getting birth certificates made, taking admission in schools, obtaining necessary identity cards and getting government help. Not only this, mothers and children have to repeatedly give clarification about their family situation and personal life to the government officials, due to which they have to face mental harassment and discomfort.
These children and mothers will get great relief
In its recommendations, the Commission has specifically advocated for those children who are growing up in difficult family circumstances. These mainly include:
- Children of single mothers
- children of unmarried women
- Children of widowed and divorced women
- Children of women rescued from human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation
- Children under the care of a legal guardian or caretaker
According to the Commission, every child is a free citizen. His future, honor and rights should not depend on the marital status of his parents or their relationship.
Demand raised in Vijayawada meeting: Name of mother or guardian should be sufficient
A special meeting on the topic 'Making Father's Name Optional in All Official Documents' was organized in Vijayawada in collaboration with Andhra Pradesh Child Rights Commission, Children of India Foundation and HELP organization. In the meeting, Commission Chairman Vetukuri AVSSN Raju bluntly said that the job of the government system is to give children their rights and not to create obstacles in their path by creating hurdles of papers. He suggested that full recognition should be given to the name of the mother or legal guardian instead of the father's name. For this, all government portals, forms and databases should be reviewed.
State Women's Commission Chairperson Dr. Raipati Shailja also strongly supported this demand. He said that opportunities for education or development cannot be snatched away from any child just because of paper formalities.
Demand to issue a comprehensive Government Order (GO)
The Commission has appealed to the government to issue a blanket government order (GO) or administrative circular to implement it effectively across the state. All related departments including school education, women and child development, revenue, health, social welfare and digital governance should be brought under its ambit.
Apart from this, it has also been recommended to set clear guidelines for district and divisional level officers, appoint nodal officers and create a grievance redressal system, so that if any officer refuses to provide services to a child in the absence of father's name, immediate action can be taken.