Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 9: High Court has sought response from the Government for betterment of children vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice Rajesh Sekhri directed the concerned authorities through counsel S.S. Nanda to file respondents’ response to the same by or before the next date of hearing.
Applicant Meenu Padha submitted that these recommendations and suggestions are in the interest of children who are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, or children who have suffered abuse and exploitation.
It is suggested that a curriculum for the protection of children from abuse and harassment should be introduced in Government as well as private schools in Jammu and Kashmir. The curriculum should be implemented by an expert committee chaired by the Principal Secretary, Department of Education.
She further suggests that training should be given to teachers and faculties of the institution to deal with child abuse cases and teachers should be sensitized and equipped with the skills to identify victims or determine who is likely to become a victim of abuse. Teachers should be trained to deal with such complaints to provide immediate redressal to the victims of child abuse.
“That a governing and regulating committee should be established within the school to deal with the incidents of child abuse that occurred in children’s homes and school premises”, read the application.
It is added that such governing and regulating committee should devise a transparent and accessible safeguarding policy to combat incidents of child abuse and deal with such offenses at the initial level, keeping sufficient transparency with the intervention of Government agencies.
Apart from these certain reforms have also been placed before the court in order to curb child abuse which include that efforts should be made by the Governments to strengthen the economic conditions of the families in the country as poverty is seen as one of the major causes of child abuse.
“Sexual education should be made compulsory in school curriculums. It should also include such programs in the primary section as well and institutions such as the NCPCR should improve their reach and work towards ground-level implementation of policies”, read these reforms.
It has also been emphasised that police and administrative bodies should be easily accessible to children and should develop mechanisms to conduct workshops for children at the local levels.
Applicant Padha had prayed that the suggestions and reforms be accepted for the protection of children from abuse and exploitation and necessary orders be passed in this regard.
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