Protection of Children

Abstract

Training of the Authorities and Agencies.Caring and nurturing of children entails commitment, concentration and efforts over that they grow into healthy citizens of the country. Children, who constitute almost 41% of the total population of the country, are an important entity for the state.

The Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 is a wholesome law to provide for the protection of children from the offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography, while safeguarding the interests of the child at every stage of the judicial process by incorporating child-friendly mechanisms for reporting, recording of evidence, investigation and speedy trail of offenses through designated Special courts.

The Act makes the different agencies of the State as collaborators in securing justice for a sexually abused child. Conducting skillful interviews in child abuse investigations is critical and crucial in a judicial process. Besides several child friendly procedures that policemen and judges are to follow with child victims, there is an urgent need to train the medical, teachers, judicial, advocates and law enforcing agencies in the POCSO Act, 2012 for an fruitful investigation. Research, information, monitoring and sensitizing the public are the biggest challenges.

Training all the stakeholders is one of the important variables in providing comprehensive care and justice and it will help the child and all the stakeholders to develop the necessary interview skills to participate in an effective investigation. There is also an urgent need to train all the medical undergraduates and primary health care doctors in providing child friendly interview, structured assessment, collecting evidence, prophylaxis for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV, family counseling and regular follow up.

Keeping children safe from abuse is not only the responsibility of the state but also of all the community members.