What is meant by the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the punishment for those booked under the Act. To whom one shall report child abuse or violation of child rights, were some of the queries raised by the students of Maris Stella College, during the legal awareness camp on child rights organised here on Wednesday.
Bachpan Bachao Andolan in association with State and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and the Child Rights Advocacy Foundation (CRAF) organised the camp.
DLSA Krishna unit secretary, P. Rajaram, while explaining about child rights, elucidated on the POCSO Act, 2012, and the Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009.
Stringent punishment
Mr. Rajaram, who is also Senior Civil Judge, said under the POCSO (Amendment) Bill, 2019, death penalty can be awarded to the accused for aggravated sexual assault or in rare cases.
The punishment under the Act could be 20 years imprisonment, besides stringent punishments for crimes against the minors, he said.
District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Ch. Vijay Kumar said under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or RTE, 2009, every child is having right to have free education and children should not be employed.
Some children are sexually exploited, used for begging, engaged as labourers and domestic helps, Mr. Vijay Kumar said, and appealed to the students to play an active role in preventing such violations.
“We came across some cases in which family members and step mothers sold their minor daughters to flesh trade organisers. In addition to the police, other sections of society and departments concerned should respond on the problem,” the DCPO said.
‘Alarming trend in A.P.’
CRAF coordinator and State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA) governing body member P. Francis Thambi said child rights violation cases were alarming in Andhra Pradesh and stressed the need for declaring an emergency.
Stating that A.P. is in the fourth place in girl child abuse, he called upon students to alert the officials by dialling Women Helpline-181, Dial-100 and Childline-1098.
Bachpan Bachao Andolan State coordinator Tirupati Rao, who presided over the programme, appealed to girls to play a proactive role.
Maris Stella College head of social work department Sister Sajaya, Bachpan Bachao Andolan representative K. Chandrashekar and DCPU social worker Sarada participated.
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