New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Saturday said that the protection of the girl child does not only mean protecting their bodies but to free them from fear. He stressed on building a society where girls can hold their heads high with dignity and where their aspirations are nourished by education and equality.
Against the backdrop of the digital age, CJI Gawai marked the vulnerability of girls due to online harassment, cyberbullying and digital stocking, as well as misuse of personal data and deep-fake photographs. He emphasized the formulation of special laws and the training of law enforcement officers and decision makers.
Speaking at the National Annual Stakeholder Advisory on “Protection of the Girls: The Status of a Safe and Competent Environment for Them in India” organized under the aegis of the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Supreme Court (JJC) in collaboration with UNICEF India, Chief Justice of India recalled Rabindranath Tagore’s poem, “Where the Mind is Without Fear” and said that it summarises the efforts to protect the girl child.
“This approach will remain incomplete as long as any girl in our country remains in fear – in fear of violence, in fear of discrimination, or in fear of being deprived of the opportunity to learn and dream,” he said.
CJI BR Gawai said that when girls grow up in an atmosphere of freedom and respect, it can be said with confidence that the country has awakened in the “paradise of freedom” that Tagore spoke so beautifully. He said that many girls across the country, despite constitutional and legal guarantees, are denied their fundamental rights and even basic necessities for living.
Justice Gavai said this vulnerability exposes them to the extreme risk of sexual abuse, exploitation and harmful practises, such as female genital mutilation, malnutrition, gender-based abortion, trafficking and child marriage against their will. “He said, “”Ensuring her (the child’s) safety is not just to protect her body, but to free her soul.” To create a society where he can hold his head high with dignity and where his aspirations are nourished by education and equality… We have to counter and get out of the deeply rooted patriarchal practices that have been depriving girls of their rightful place.”
Emphasis on in-depth investigation of obstacles He stressed on the thorough investigation of the social, economic and cultural barriers that are hindering the lives of girls. The Chief Justice of India said this in the presence of Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi and UNICEF-India Country Representative Cynthia McCaffrey. Justice Gawai said that in today’s technological era, where innovation defines progress, it is important to recognize that technology, along with empowerment, also brings new weaknesses, especially for the girl child.
Justice Gawai said that from online harassment, cyber-threat and digital stocking to misuse of personal data and deep-fake photos, both challenges and fabrication have evolved on a large scale. “Training programs for police officers, teachers, health professionals and local administrators should include a responsive approach so that they respond with empathy, subtlety and relevant understanding,” he said.
The chairperson of the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Supreme Court, Justice B. V. Nagaratna said that a young girl in India can be called a true equal citizen only if she can aspire to do anything independently like her male counterparts and she has the same quality of support and resources to do so. Also, he should not have to face any kind of obstacle due to his identity.
Member of Juvenile Justice Committee Justice J. B. Pardiwala said that the meaning of child protection is to ensure that every girl gets the right to live, learn and grow with equality free from evil, discrimination and violence such as female foeticide and child marriage. Justice Pardiwala presented a booklet on “Child Rights and Law” prepared by the Research and Planning Centre of the Supreme Court under the guidance of the Juvenile Justice Committee.
