With cases of sexual crimes against children on a constant rise, the Centre is mulling the option of educating and sensitising children on their rights in schools. The Ministry of Woman and Child Development (WCD) is pushing for including Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 in school syllabi.
The POCSO Act describes sexual offence in a gender neutral manner and provides for child friendly and sensitive treatment for children who have faced sexual abuse. “This Act (POCSO) should be in the school curriculum and children must be educated about its provisions. It is the need of the hour that the children know their rights and are unafraid to lodge a complaint, when required,” said Krishna Tirath, Minister WCD, speaking at a regional conference on implementation of POCSO.
Tirath said, she has also written to the HRD Ministry and State Ministries to include POCSO Act in their classroom education. Statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show that a total of 33,098 cases of crimes against children were reported in the country during 2011 as compared to 26,694 cases during 2010, suggesting an increase of 24.0 per cent. Cases under trafficking of minor girls increased from 679 in 2010 to 862 in 2011, registering an increase of 27.0 per cent over 2010. Cases of kidnapping and abduction saw a rise of 34.2 per cent from 10,670 in 2010 to 15,284 in 2011.
In the decade 2001-11 a staggering 48,338 cases of rape involving children were reported from across the country. NCRB report showed that Madhya Pradesh topped the list of child abuse with 9,465 cases, followed by Maharashtra with 6,868 cases followed by UP (5,949) and Andhra Pradesh (3,977). Delhi with 2,909 cases is sixth on the list, which has data for 13 States. “The State Governments must take necessary steps for the implementation of POCSO. All the measures like in-camera proceedings, interpreter and proper medical facilities must be provided to the children facing the sexual abuse,” said Tirath. “The basic problems hounding the children of sexual abuse are insensitivity of police, lack of trained counsellors and interpreters and poor medical aid,” said Kushal Singh, Chairman of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). Singh also called for the need for strengthening the juvenile justice system.