Aiming to make a nation free of violence against women and children, WCD slates legal procedures for Police entities

New Delhi, June 20: Highlighting on the efforts to create a nation free of violence for women and children, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has rightly been making efforts to create undue awareness for all the people in the country. With this effect, the department launched a “Handbook on legal processes for Police in respect of Crime against Children”.

Working towards making a nation free of violence, the Minister of Women and Child Development urged all stakeholders to unite in preventing and combating crimes against Children. The WCD Ministry has also quoted that they would work together with the stakeholders and makes sure that the handbook is available in all police stations in regional and local languages. In this regard, one of the most important requirements is to empower the police agencies in addressing the crimes against children professionally and diligently.

The minister cited that the book will definitely prove to be a tool to enhance and fine-tune the skills of the end user in the application of the laws, rules, rulings and related provisions pertaining to Crimes Against Children. The Handbook is a composite tool which will aid Police personnel to chart a step-by-step procedure to be adopted in cases of crime against children.

 

The minister also said that they have made amendments in the Juvenile Justice Act has been brought about to treat juveniles 16 years of age as an adult for trial in heinous crimes. She emphasized the importance of Forensic Laboratories in India and informed that five new Forensic Laboratories are being established to cater to the investigation of an average 2,000 rape cases every year.

She further expressed the need for Rape Investigation Kits in every Police Station to facilitate the investigation on priority basis. The issue has been taken up with HRD Ministry to print POCSO related laws on front and back of all the text books to increase awareness among children. The Minister also mentioned about the e-box Complaint System for the school children to come up against the issues of sexual harassment.