ITANAGAR, 14 Oct: Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) Chairperson Ratan Anya, its member Niri Chongrowju, along with representatives from the WCD department, attended the national annual stakeholders’ consultation on ‘Safeguarding the Girl Child: Towards a Safer and Enabling Environment for Her in India’,held in New Delhi on 11 and 12 October.
During the two-day event, the stakeholders discussed cyber safety, focusing on the digital risks faced by girl children, available legal safeguards, and the need to strengthen law enforcement mechanisms, the APSCPCR said in a release.
A short film titled Safeguarding Childhoods – Empowering Girls was also screened during the session.
A key point highlighted was that even if photos or other contents are deleted from a mobile device, they often remain retrievable, which is frequently exploited by cyber criminals.
The programme also covered critical issues, such as the rights of the girl child to be born, nurtured, and educated. Protection of girl child from abuse, exploitation, and violence was also discussed, with best practices shared from states like Rajasthan and Odisha on tackling child marriage, and innovative models from Assam and Telangana to prevent violence against girls, the release said.
On the second day, the consultation focused on the implementation of the POCSO Act, 2012, with sessions on legal and systemic challenges, the role of support persons in victim rehabilitation, and the issue of victim compensation.
Earlier, the event commenced with an inaugural address delivered by CJI Bhushan Ramluishna Gavai, followed by the release of the Handbook on Child Rights and the Law by SC Judge and Member of the Juvenile Justice Committee, Justice JB Pardiwala.
Later, the APSCPCR chairperson and team members paid a courtesy visit to union minister Kiren Rijiju at his office in New Delhi and discussed matters related to the welfare of children and the roles the commission and other stakeholders and the government can play for children’s welfare in the state.
