Sensitivity sought in cases of juvenile justice, domestic violence

Sensitivity on the part of people concerned has been sought for the enforcement of a protective order in regard with the diversion in the juvenile justice system and in the cases of domestic violence.

At an interaction programme on the topic organized by the Advocacy Forum and Women Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC) at Bhairahawa today, the participants were of the view that judiciary, police and the administration were more accountable for increasing effectiveness in the justice delivery system.

 Giving his presentation on the topic, High Court Tulsipur, Butwal bench officiating judge Ram Prasad Oli said, “The diversion approach in juvenile justice is the understanding that children generally do not commit offense, they make mistakes, instead and they need correction in behavior not legal sanctions.” As he said, implementation of the concept of diversion in the juvenile justice system would help correct behavior of children responsible for the offense and rehabilitate them in society. This is the method to hold children accountable for their actions and provide alternative sanctions for the correction, according to him.

He admitted that the district court judge is assigned to look after cases of juvenile justice and such double responsibility has hampered to ensure promptness and efficiency in juvenile justice delivery. The lack of a specific and dedicated mechanism in the police office and the district attorney office is another reason having its impact on the juvenile justice system, it is said.

Chief District Officer Bharatmani Pandey insisted on the improvement in child correction homes to see expected outcomes in the relevant sector. “Existing child correction homes are not able to serve justice to children concerned.”

District Court Judge Krishna Koirala insisted on the need of establishing Juvenile Court to deal with cases of juvenile justice while senior advocate Shiva Prasad Gaudel said survivors of domestic violence had to face numerous hurdles to reach the judiciary for justice.

Siddhartha Nagar municipality deputy mayor Uma Adhikari stressed the need for an action-oriented approach to combat violence and discriminations.

National Planning Commission Lumbini Province Chief Somnath Subedi urged one and all to be more responsible and accountable in terms of ensuring justice to survivors.

As data presented at the programme by WOREC programme coordinator Prabha Poudyal, majority of cases of domestic violence are related to spousal abuses with husbands as ‘perpetrators’ and 82 percent survivors experience additional violence. As she said, cases of domestic violence should be taken for judicial proceedings by discouraging the culture of settling them through arbitration.