Workshop On POCSO And Juvenile Justice Laws: Neelam Gorhe Urges Public Awareness On Child Safety

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Deputy Chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council, on Friday emphasized the importance of disseminating information about the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO), 2012, and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2005. She called on professionals in the field to create discussions and utilize various media platforms to raise public awareness of these acts.

She was speaking at the workshop organized by the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights aimed to address the challenges faced in implementing the POCSO Act and the Juvenile Justice Act at Yashwantrao Chavan Academy Of Development Administration (YASHADA) in Pune.

During the event, Dr Gorhe highlighted the significance of the Child Rights Commission's work and proposed that the District Planning Committee focus on child rights. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing children's safety and well-being rather than solely focusing on material support.

Departmental meetings of the Child Rights Commission

On this occasion the Chairperson of Maharashtra State Child Rights Protection Commission Adv Sushiben Shah, Principal District and Sessions Judge Pune Shyam Chandak, Superintendent of Pune Rural Police Ankit Goyal, Additional Commissioner of Police Pune City Ramnath Pofale, Deputy Commissioner Women and Child Development Department Pune Rahul More etc were present.

Dr Gorhe commended the departmental meetings of the Child Rights Commission, as they shed light on the challenges faced during their work. Discussions at these meetings encompass crucial aspects such as child labor, child safety, and human rights, including laws like POCSO. She assured support from the Legislative Council to reflect the valuable work of social workers in this field.

The workshop also reviewed child rights violation cases in Pune Division. Representatives from the Child Rights Commission, Child Welfare Committee, Juvenile Justice Board, District Child Protection Unit, Women and Child Development Department, Child Line, representatives of private NGOs, and the District Legal Services Authority were present at the workshop.

Dr. Gorhe reaffirmed the government's efforts to establish child-friendly courts and police stations and welcomed recommendations from the workshop. She expressed confidence in the Education Department's acceptance of child rights suggestions, aiming to ensure that children can dream big with the support of social workers. The Deputy Speaker pledged full legislative support to reflect these efforts in the legislature.