Chandigarh: The Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has issued an important statutory advisory to safeguard the privacy, dignity and security of children residing in Child Care Institutions (CCIs) across the state. The advisory has been issued by Commission Chairperson Ms. Tripti Sheoran under Section 13(1)(a) of the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
During its visits to various institutions, the Commission observed that CCTV systems in several institutions had been connected to personal mobile phones and laptops. This created a significant security risk, as live footage could potentially be accessed remotely, downloaded or circulated without authorisation.
According to the guidelines issued, control over CCTV systems, footage and passwords must remain exclusively with the institution’s in-charge. The use of shared passwords has been strictly prohibited. Connecting cameras to any personal mobile phone or laptop is also prohibited, and remote access must remain disabled by default.
The Chairperson stated that, keeping children’s privacy in mind, installing cameras inside toilets, bathrooms and changing areas is strictly prohibited under the Juvenile Justice Model Rules, 2016. To ensure transparency and security, institutions must maintain a register of authorised users and footage retrieval, recording the date, purpose and recipient of each instance of access or retrieval.
