The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed that steps be taken to frame regulations specifying procedures for tattooing, including norms for issue of licence to tattoo artists and tattoo studios.
Acting on a complaint from Amal Saji, nodal officer of the Balyam project who is involved in activities for protection of the children, K. Nazeer, in his last order as commission member, on Monday issued the direction to the Secretaries and Directors of the Health and the Women and Child Development departments and the Local Self-government Department Secretary.
The complainant had alleged that he had seen several children being tattooed without any safety norms being observed. Parents and health workers had expressed concern over tattooing without following instructions from the Health department, he said, seeking that norms be framed to regulate tattooing of children.
The Director of Health Services, in a report to the commission, said the Kerala State AIDS Control Society website made it clear that a risk of HIV transmission existed if contaminated instruments were either not sterilised or were shared with others.
Instruments intended to penetrate the skin should be used once and disposed of or thoroughly cleaned and sterilised. If appropriate safety guidelines were not followed, there was a possibility of transmitting blood-borne viral infections such as Hepatitis B and C. There was also a definite risk of transmitting these infections from parents to children if sterilisation procedures were not followed.
The Women and Child Development Director’s report said no interference was needed if children were being tattooed in the presence of parents. Licensing should be made mandatory, particularly for establishments tattooing children. Frequent visits by public health functionaries to such establishments should be ensured. Advertisements promoting tattooing in children should not be allowed.
The commission observed that several European countries and many states in the U.S. had regulations on tattooing, especially for those below 18 years. In Kerala, no regulations had been framed so far. In the absence of specific regulations on tattooing, particularly on children, there was risk to the safety and protection of children. Hence, guidelines needed to be framed specifying the norms for tattooing and procedures for issuing licence to tattoo studios.
The guidelines should ensure that no tattooing is done without a licence issued by the authority concerned. Steps should be taken to prohibit tattooing in public places. There should be no advertising promoting tattooing in children. Nor should they be tattooed without the presence and consent of parents. The guidelines should incorporate detailed procedures and practices regarding the use of instruments and the ink needed for tattooing. They should contain provision for cancellation of licence if any of the guidelines are violated, and ensure penal provisions.
The commission also asked the authorities to initiate steps to create awareness among children and the public of the risks of tattooing.
