Unavailability of father’s name should not bar a child’s rights, says A.P. child rights’ panel member

Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) member Undavalli Gandhibabu on Wednesday called for a uniform, child-sensitive mechanism to ensure that children are not denied education, identity documents, welfare benefits or other essential services because their father’s name is unavailable or cannot be disclosed.

Speaking at a national-level meeting organised jointly by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority and Children of India Foundation in Bengaluru, he said administrative procedures must be aligned with children’s rights, dignity and privacy rather than conventional notions of family identity.

Children should not be made to bear the consequences of circumstances surrounding their birth, particularly when the father is unknown, unavailable or cannot be identified, he said and pointed out that children of women in prostitution, unmarried mothers and those facing other difficult social circumstances often encounter repeated questions about their father’s identity while securing birth certificates, school records and other documents.