Odisha High Court Judge Launches 10th Anniversary Edition Of CCR’s Flagship Journal

CUTTACK: The Journal on the Rights of the Child of NLUO, the flagship academic publication of the Centre for Child Rights (CCR) at National Law University Odisha (NLUO), was re-launched as the institution marked a decade of committed scholarship, public service, and systemic engagement on child rights.

Justice Savitri Ratho, Judge of the Orissa High Court and Chair of its Juvenile Justice Committee (JJC), inaugurated the event. “Justice for children must be felt in their lives and not just inscribed in our laws,” she said.

Highlighting on the CCR’s journey since its inauguration in 2015, Justice Ratho described it as a rare academic institution that offers thought and practice leadership in child rights.

“The CCR is not only complementary to the judiciary’s work, but also constitutive of the child protection ecosystem,” she said and credited Vice Chancellor Prof. Ved Kumari for charting a new institutional path in child rights law.

She noted that establishing the Chief Minister’s Chair Professorship in 2023 was a watershed moment that institutionalised child rights as a rigorous legal and interdisciplinary inquiry domain.

Justice Ratho drew attention to the CCR’s pedagogical innovation, especially the high student demand for the elective courses ‘Child Rights and Determinant Sectors’ and ‘Food and Nutrition Justice’, noting that “legal theory, when not rooted in lived experience, risks becoming sterile.”

KUTUMB initiative

She praised the KUTUMB initiative as a standout example of praxis, where the CCR supports children’s participation and agency in shaping their communities.

“Children are not passive recipients of protection. They are active rights-holders and agents of change,” she said, grounding her statement in Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and India’s SDG commitments.

Sharing insights from her judicial career, Justice Ratho spoke about the gulf between legislative intent and implementation, particularly in the application of the Juvenile Justice Act and POCSO Act.

Holistic policy frameworks

“Despite progressive laws, marginalised children—tribal, Dalit, migrant, differently abled—still face structural neglect and exclusion,” she observed and called for urgent reinforcement of child-sensitive procedures, trauma-informed counseling, and holistic policy frameworks that reflect the best interests of the child. “Let us ensure that no child is invisible, voiceless, or without recourse,” she said.

The 10th anniversary edition of the Journal on the Rights of the Child of NLUO features 14 original contributions from across the country, including work on juvenile bail jurisprudence, adoption law, refugee children’s rights, influencer economy ethics, and childhood nutrition. It also includes an NCRB data re-analysis and an infographic fact sheet that distills evidence into actionable insight.

Prof. Biraj Swain, Chief Minister’s Chair Professor and Director of CCR, opened the programme by framing CCR’s mission: “We are here not just to mark a date, but to recommit to our mandate—justice, equity, and dignity for every child, everywhere.”

She spotlighted the students whose research, outreach, and editorial work have kept the CCR vibrant and engaged.

Prof. Ved Kumari laid focus on children in conflict with the law, reminding the audience that they are rights-bearing individuals, not societal outliers.

She underscored the significance of KUTUMB in linking child rights with the broader terrain of family and community well-being.

Sourav Bhattacharjee, nutrition specialist, UNICEF, revisited CCR’s founding partnership with UNICEF in 2014. “What was missing then was not law but a space for knowledge, research, and capacity-building and NLU Odisha filled that gap,” he said.

He projected it as a “centre of gravity for child protection knowledge and action” across Odisha and South Asia—one that provides technical expertise, trains a new cadre of professionals, and leads research on critical issues like migration, trafficking, climate change, and online safety.

CCR tie-up with CRY

The event saw a major institutional announcement: the formalisation of a partnership between CCR and Child Rights and You (CRY).

Subhendu Bhattacharjee, CRY’s Policy and Knowledge Exchange Director, announced CRY’s funding support for three grassroots-linked initiatives—student volunteerism, media legal training, and district-level legal aid centers. “This partnership is not about financials—it is about shared vision, praxis, and justice,” he said.

Dr. Rashmi Rekha Baug, Co-Director of CCR, delivered the vote of thanks. She acknowledged the foundational contributions of former Vice Chancellor Prof. Srikrishna Deva Rao, the steady backing of Registrar Prof. Rangin P. Tripathy, and the diligence of student editor Madhulika Tripathy.

Newsletter released

The April–May 2025 edition of CCR’s bi-monthly newsletter was also unveiled on the occasion. It acknowledged CCR’s international reach, primarily through hosting the 9th International Society for Child Indicators (ISCI) Conference in 2024, which brought together over 24 countries and established Odisha as a global child rights discourse hub.