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Vinod Kumar Tikoo, joined National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on 22.11.2010 as a Member expert in the field of child psychology /sociology. Born on 13–06–1954, Mr. Tikoo completed his B.Sc. from Kashmir University in 1973, M.A.(S.W.) with specialization in Child & Community Development and M.Phil with specialization in Personnel Management & Industrial Relations from Delhi School of Social Work. He was associated with Child Guidance Centre established in 1971 as a field demonstration project now renamed as Centre for Child and Adolescent Wellbeing (CCAW). At the centre, diagnostic treatment and referral services to the children with behavioural and emotional problems and other specific childhood disorders of children’s problems through planned interventions were carried at the level of child, his/her parents, family, school and community. He was also associated with Gram Mahila Kendra later renamed as Centre for Community Action and Development ( CCAD ) which envisions the creation of empowered community for improving the quality of life of the people based on the principles of social justice and human rights. He has also had the experiences of working in children’s Home in Kingsway Camp and Community Development in Kingsway Camp & Outram Lines with special emphasis on the women welfare & child development under the Community welfare programmes especially in the slum areas of Delhi. He also worked with TCPO, Ministry of Works & Housing on a Project “Social Cohesiveness and Physical Form”, apart from working in a premier Public Sector Undertaking for a considerable length. He has also worked with Directorate of Social Welfare, Government of Delhi and formulated a plan for the reformation of the working of lepers Home, Shahdara. In the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, an autonomous body set up by a special statute of the Parliament, The Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act 2005, he has made some path breaking interventions. In a unique investigation of a case of torture of a child by the Police in Gurgaon brought to fore the menace of abuse of the institutions, systems and mechanisms meant to protect the children turning to be the predators. In which case the concerned policemen were not only suspended but the compensation ordered to be paid to the victim child was recovered from their salaries. Mr Tikoo exposed the gross physical, sexual and psychological abuse of children in the NGO run Homes like ‘Drone Foundation’ and ‘Superna Ka Angan’, Gurgaon and the infamous Bharat Vikas Sangh run Home ‘Apna Ghar’, Rohtak, wherein about 10 persons were not only arrested but even CBI was finally to take over the investigations in the case of Rohtak Home, while criminal cases were initiated by the State against the accused in the other two Homes. This was a case of complete systemic failure of the State sponsored inspection mechanisms, duly provided for in the Law. He also investigated the most sensational ‘Genitoplasty’ case of ‘Docs Turning Scores of Girls into Boys’ at Indore, a report published by The Hindustan Times in June 2011, which turned out to be a case of inane piece of immature journalism, resulting in recommendations for framing of guidelines by PCI as well as protocols by ICMR. He also investigated the ‘Female Foeticide and Infanticide’ cases reported from the rural areas of Chhor, Devikot, Sitadoi and Devda ( Bhatti Rajput families in the Devda Village did not have a girl in the family) in Jaisalmer and Jodhpur in Rajasthan wherein the revelations were shocking, in as much as, just to get the incentives for the institutional deliveries, a mother would not only be forced to bear the child for full term but yet be devoid of her motherhood by brutally killing the female infant within a couple of days of its coming into being in a human form. He also travelled to the deep interiors of Devdurga, Gulbarga, Raichur in Karnatka to investigate the reported death of a number of severely malnourished children which forced our Prime Minister to term the menace of malnourishment, as a ‘National Shame. The detailed recommendations to the State after the investigation and its focussed implementation in a time bound programme helped in arresting the menace. Similarly the investigation of unabated neo-natal deaths in Malda Medical College and Hospital and a series of interventions to curb the problem in November 2011 and a follow-up visit in July 2012, resulted in rolling out a series of focussed action in curbing the menace. On a very positive side of his interventions was a off-beat visit to the Gengetic Chars of the Malda District marred by the decades old apathy by the administration. With no official ever visiting such chars, he took upon himself of not only visiting but carrying the concerned officials from education, revenue, health, rural development and the Block Development Officer along with him to these inaccessible areas partly by by motorable road, partly by boat, by tractors, motorcycles and even on foot to ensure the children deprived of their entitlements are given their dues at last. The areas of these chars, that were without any schools, Mid Day Meals, health services etc., can now boast of 5 schools with ever increasing numbers in the class rooms with children happy to receive their freshly cooked MDM, books uniforms, immunisation and Health camps. ( three already have Pucca Buildings in about a year’s intervention). Such was the success of the Malda module, that the people in Jalangi Chars in Murshidabad district also started demanding similar interventions. Officers from Bihar and Jharkhand were also sent to look at the success to replicate in their States. He also visited the 24 North Paraganas, South Paraganas, Murshidabad in West Bengal and also the Gumla, Ranchi in Jharkhand to create an impact to curb the trafficking coupled with migration, the two factors having a very thin line in dividing the two social problems, with migration often resulting in trafficking. He also visited the coalmine areas of Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, where rampant child labour was reported to be engaged in the mine pits and rat holes. The impact of the intervention resulted in the State formulating a Mining Policy, which is now being revisited to have the element of declaring the mines in Jaintia Hills as Child Labour Free. Believing that the best interest of children in their formative & developmental stage lay with their biological mother, he intervened to facilitate the mother-child bonding exercises in the case of Norwegian children ( who were handed over to Uncle in India, by a Norwegian authority), to be restored back to their biological mother in a very systemic and scientific manner through the available mechanisms like CWC, DSW, Paediatric Psychologists. He continues to effectively monitor complaints received in any form, or by taking Suo-motu cognizance of cases of violations / deprivations of child rights reported in print and electronic media. He is of a very firm opinion that the country needs professionally trained/qualified social workers in all spheres of life ( School, Health-Medical, Community Development for family based interventions, IEC, for the country to take on further challenges in creating an impact on awareness on the paradigm shift from the Welfare based interventions to Rights based. He vehemently believes that the social workers are change agents in society and in the lives of the individuals, families and communities they serve. Social worker’s interventions would range from primarily person-focused psychosocial processes to involvement in social policy, planning and development. These include counselling, clinical social, case work, group work, social pedagogical work, and family treatment and therapy as well as efforts to help people obtain services and resources in the community. Interventions also include agency administration, community organization and engaging in social and political action to impact social policy and economic development.