Ranchi: A social outfit working for infant protection through a campaign titled ‘PaaloNaa’ for the last few years has now launched an online petition signing drive titled “Protect India’s Most Vulnerable: Urge the Govt to Enact the Infant Protection Act” through Change.org . The campaign calls upon citizens to join the movement to create a dedicated legal framework for the protection of infants below one year of age. One can access the campaign at https://www.change.org/p/protect-india-s-most-vulnerable-urge-the-government-to-enact-the-infant-protection-act. It has also drafted a proposed infant protection act copy which was submitted to Union minister of state for defence and Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth urging him to define ‘infanticide’ and ‘unsafe abandonment’ under legal terms by strengthening the criminal justice response, and ensuring mandatory reporting and investigation of all found or abandoned infants. It also seeks to provide emergency medical aid and rehabilitation for rescued infants, mental health support for new mothers, and special provisions for survivors of failed abortions or born-alive cases. Initiator of PaaloNaa and founder trustee of Ashrayani Foundation, Monika Gunjan Arya, said, “Despite numerous tragic cases of infants being found in drains, bushes, garbage bins, and toilets, the country still does not have a specific law focused solely on the protection of infants below one year of age.”
