Open Forum : "Rising incidents of sexual violence against children"

T he National Human Rights Commission, as part of a new initiative in its silver jubilee year, decided to start 'Open Forum Discussions' to provide a platform to the people from all sections of society to give vent to their feelings and views on an issue currently being in news and debated with a human rights perspective. It was also expected that the free and fair expressions at the open forum would help in analyzing a significant issue of human rights for finding possible solutions to the related problems so that meaningful recommendations could be sent to the concerned stake holders including the government.
The first in the series was organized on "Rising incidents of sexual violence against children" at its premises on the 15th May, 2018 in the backdrop of several such incidents reported from different parts of the country in the recent past. Chairing the inaugural open forum discussion, the NHRC Chairperson, Mr. Justice H.L. Dattu, said that the increasing cases of sexual violence against children have shaken the conscious of the society. We would need to change the mindsets of the people to end the menace and to make the country a safe place to live in.
NHRC Members, Mr. Justice P.C. Ghosh, Mr. Justice D. Murugesan, Mrs. Jyotika Kalra, Secretary General, Mr. Ambuj Sharma, Joint Secretary (P&A), Dr. Ranjit Singh, and other senior officials, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Mrs. Astha Saxena Khatwani, besides the representatives from NCPCR, NCM, DCW, DCPCR, Police Officers, UN Bodies, academia and civil society organizations/NGOs participated in the discussions.
Some of the important points which emerged from the discussions were as follows:
1. A National Action Plan, in a mission mode, needs to be drawn up to address this grave and serious issue in a time bound manner;
2. Need to have a systematic evaluation and monitoring of critical legislations impacting or concerning children so as to remove any contradictory / ambiguous provisions, which might be hampering their proper implementation;
3. Appointment of fast track courts and code of conduct for police personnel in the matter of proper scientific investigation and review of monitoring of cases involving sexual violence against children;
4. Government may set up a strategy group for school children to come up with a comprehensive set of guidelines, within a fixed time frame, which would lay down the details of security and safety parameters/protocol to be observed within the school premises;
5. A comprehensive 'One Stop Centre' Policy/Scheme for children related issues may be drawn up at the national level;
6. The appropriate use of technology for detection, investigation, conduct of cases, follow up of victims' rehabilitation etc., needs to be drawn up and implemented uniformly across the country;
7. A nationwide awareness scheme, in a campaign mode, particularly in rural areas, is required to create widespread awareness about this issue as well as remedial measures.