Every child shall have a right to life, dignity, respect, leisure, liberty, health, education and shelter from his parents.

For the purposes of this Act, a child is in need of care and protection if the child— (a) has been abandoned or is without a parent or guardian; (b) has been neglected or ill-treated by the person who has the care and custody of the child; (c) has a parent or guardian who is unfit or unable to exercise care and guardianship; (d) is falling into bad associations; (e) is exposed to domestic violence; or (f) is engaged in any work likely to harm the health, education, or mental, physical, or moral development of the child.

Any member of the community who has evidence or information that a child is in need of care and protection shall report the matter to the social welfare officer, police officer, or any other authorized person.

A child shall be placed in an approved residential home or with a fit person where the child has been: (a) abandoned or is without a parent or guardian; (b) neglected or ill-treated by the person having care and custody of the child; (c) found destitute; (d) found wandering and has no home or settled place of abode; (e) found begging or receiving alms; or (f) is in need of care and protection.

A person shall not subject a child to torture, or other cruel, inhuman punishment or degrading treatment including any cultural practice which dehumanizes or is injurious to the physical and mental well-being of a child.

A person shall not employ or engage a child in any kind of exploitative labour.

A child shall have a right to light work.

For the purposes of subsection (1), the minimum age for employment or engagement of a child shall be fourteen years.

Subject to subsection (1), "light work" shall constitute work which is not likely to be harmful to the health or development of the child and does not prevent or affect the child’s attendance at school, participation in vocational orientation or training programmes or the capacity of the child to benefit from school work.

"family" means parental father, mother and children, adopted or blood related and other close relatives including, grandfather, grandmother, uncles, aunties, cousins, nephews and nieces who live in a household;