Chandigarh, September 24 - Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal today launched a video module on Juvenile Justice Act (JJ) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for hearing impaired persons.

After launching the video module, Mr. Manohar Lal said, “It is a commendable step that Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights is promoting sign language as well as making the hearing impaired persons aware about the Child Protection laws like JJ and POCSO Act. Through these modules, all hearing impaired people will be able to understand the law and their rights properly. ”

The Chief Minister said that Central Government has taken historic decision to introduce common sign language in the New Education Policy. On one hand, having a common sign language will make conversation easy for the hearing impaired persons, while on the other, it will also open the way for their success at the national level. He said that the rights given to the hearing impaired persons in the New Education Policy will open the way for their success and development in the coming time.

He said that the Central and State Governments are working for the upliftment of not only specially abled but for every citizen. Chief Minister said that the Government will make a special policy for the children who are in need special care and protection. Besides this, policy will also be focused on upliftment of differently abled children, who are living in the Bal Ashram, so that they do not face any problem in various tasks such as reading and writing. State Government is working towards making arrangements for the admission of differently abled children in whatever field they want to pursue their education.

Ms. Jyoti Bainda, Chairperson of the Commission said that in the primary stage, the Commission has prepared video modules regarding the legal aspects of both the above said Acts. With these modules, which have been prepared in Indian sign language, any hearing impaired persons will be able to understand them easily and learn about child protection laws. She said that the commission aims to implement these modules for all hearing impaired persons as well as school going hearing impaired children so that they can become aware about their rights.

Ms. Jyoti Bainda said that according to a study, 72 million people are specially abled worldwide, of which 80 percent people live in developed countries and they use 300 types of sign languages. She said that according to the 2011 census, there are 1.3 million people in India, who are those suffering from hearing impairment. In such a situation, implementation of a common sign language in the New Education Policy by the Central Government across the country is a commendable step.