The Delhi High Court on Thursday held an awareness workshop on “online child sexual exploitation and abuse” and launched several “cyber awareness interactive videos” for children, in collaboration with the Delhi police.
The event’s Chief Guest was Supreme Court Justice PS Narasimha. Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, other Delhi High Court judges, and Commissioner of Delhi Police Sanjay Arora were also in attendance.
The members of the Committee to regulate and monitor the progress of guidelines under the POCSO Act are Justice Mukta Gupta, Justice Yogesh Khanna, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, Justice Gaurang Kanth, and Justice Saurabh Banerjee. The Committee is led by Justice Gupta.
In her welcome address, Justice Mukta Gupta stated that the workshop and the initiative of the Delhi High Court to launch the interactive videos are based on the idea of protecting children from “anything that threatens to take away their optimism and innocence.”
“The advent of the Internet has revolutionized the way people perceive, think and act. The unimaginable has become the new normal. The impossible has become the routine. This however, is not without risks. Over the last few years, the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed the digitization of professional social and personal interaction, including communication for education all over the world at an unprecedented scale, with physical schools having resumed India as a society is left with a strong realization that the online presence of children need for education or socialization will only increase with time it becomes more imperative tools are developed to safeguard computers on the internet,” she stated.
The interactive videos, according to Justice Mukta, are intended to prevent cyberbullying, online threatening, cyber sexting, and cyber stalking.
“These videos show how, in the normal course of events, children fall prey to cyber-crimes,” the judge pointed out.
Keynote and special addresses were also delivered by Chief Justice Sharma and Justice Siddharth Mridul. Justice Saurabh Banerjee delivered the vote of thanks.
“In this cruel world, your only well-wishers are your parents.” Don’t put your trust in anyone until you’re an adult. Even when you’re an adult, your parents are your best friends. Please believe them and pay attention to what they are saying. “The world is cruel,” Chief Justice Sharma remarked.
Supreme Court judge Justice PS Narasimha highlighted in his presidential address that there has been a significant change in the judiciary’s approach over the past few years and that the courts are now going the “extra step” to implement laws after they are passed.
“I must congratulate all of you of the Delhi High Court to be the precursor in that. We are the biggest stakeholders and we see how crime is committed and case after case we see it’s not being implemented. The laws are clearly laid down and when we take an extra step and seek to implement the laws, I think the purpose and object of enactment will be accomplished. In this proactive step you move out in the corridors of the court and seek to implement it and for implementation, you need the help and assistance of others,” the judge stated.
