Gauhati High Court launches NYAYA PRAVAH child-friendly justice programme

Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar launched the NYAYA PRAVAH – Child-Friendly Justice Programme on Saturday, 14th November 2026 at the Assam Administrative Staff College in Khanapara, Guwahati. The Sentinel Assam reported that the launch was organised through the Assam State Legal Services Authority (ASLSA) in partnership with UTSAH Child Rights Organisation and the National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam (NLUJAA). The programme is intended to strengthen child-sensitive practices and improve the handling of cases involving children across judicial institutions in Assam.

Programme objectives

The NYAYA PRAVAH initiative focuses on strengthening child-sensitive practices through institutional coordination, careful planning and effective implementation. Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar emphasised the importance of children’s experiences within the justice system, describing the effort as a sustained institutional commitment to addressing challenges faced by children through coordinated action. The programme aims to bring greater attention to the needs and experiences of children involved in justice proceedings and to ensure that judicial institutions respond with appropriate sensitivity.

Key participants and collaborations

Justice Michael Zothankhuma, a Gauhati High Court judge and Executive Chairman of ASLSA, was among the senior judicial figures associated with the launch. Miguel Das Queah, founder of UTSAH Child Rights Organisation, also took part, as did Assam Director General of Police Harmeet Singh, who attended the event. The collaboration brings together legal services, child-rights and legal-education institutions to support the programme’s objectives, reflecting a coordinated effort across multiple sectors.

Capacity-building and publication

The launch day also marked the beginning of a day-long capacity-building programme focused on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Training sessions were organised for judicial and medical officers to improve their understanding of the legislation and to strengthen responses to cases involving children. Justice Kaushik Goswami and Dr C B Jani served as the two resource persons for these sessions, which formed part of the broader capacity-building activities organised alongside the NYAYA PRAVAH launch.

A publication titled ‘Justice at the Doorstep’ was released as part of the launch proceedings, adding a resource component to the initiative. The emphasis, as outlined by Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar, remains on sustained institutional commitment, coordinated action and effective implementation to address challenges faced by children within the justice system.