NCPCR Meeting Focuses on Model Guidelines for Support Persons under POCSO Act, 2012
The Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case titled “We the women of India v. Union of India and Ors. Writ Petition(s) (Civil) No. 1156/2021 and in Writ Petition No. 427/2022 title BachpanBachaoAndolan v. Union of India” vide its order dated 09.10.2023 had directed the Commission to formulate Model Guidelines with respect to Support Persons under Section 39 of the POCSO Act, 2012 in consultation with the State Governments and the Government of Union Territories.
Accordingly, the Commission had prepared the Model Guidelines and the same was filed before the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Now, the Hon’ble Court vide its order dated 30.07.2024 was pleased to pass an order thereby directing all the States/UT’s to implement the aforesaid guidelines and thereafter informing the Commission regarding the status of implementation.
Therefore, the NCPCR in compliance to the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court organised a meeting to discuss the status of implementation of NCPCR’s Model Guidelines with respect to Support Persons under Section 39 of POCSO Act, 2012. The meeting was held on 25/09/2024 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Representatives of 24 States/UTs attended the meeting.
Smt. Preeti Bharadwaj Dalal, Member (Law Relating to Children) and Smt. Divya Gupta, Member (Child Health, Care, Welfare), NCPCR, welcomed all attendees and addressed the gathering while emphasizing the need of implementation of the Model Guidelines with respect to Support Persons under Section 39 of POCSO Act, 2012 in every State and UT.
Shri Priyank Kanoongo, Chairperson, NCPCR, gave the keynote address to welcome the officers from States and Union Territories and further emphasized that this meeting has been organised to ensure compliance of the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s orders passed for implementation of the Model Guidelines with respect to Support Persons under Section 39 of POCSO Act. Shri Kanoongo also discussed the key objective of Support Persons under the POCSO Act, 2012 which is to provide emotional and psychological support to the child victims during the legal proceedings and further ensure their wellbeing and protection.
Chairperson, NCPCR informed that necessary directions had been issued for the implementation of the aforesaid guidelines to all States/UTs and thereafter the States/UTs had been directed to submit a Compliance Report regarding the implementation in this regard as well as to furnish the information in respect of copy of the order regarding implementation of Guidelines in all the districts of the State, copy of the advertisement for Empanelment of Support Persons and copy of order issuing the directions to upload details of Support Persons on NCPCR’s “POCSO Tracking Portal”.
He also suggested that rehabilitation of a victim of child sexual abuse is possible when a Support Person is engaged with the victim. He further emphasised that it is important to empanel Support Persons in ratio of the pendency of cases of child sexual abuse in a particular State and the details of such empanelled Support Person shall be uploaded on the “POCSO Tracking Portal” in order to ensure transparency and timely support to child victims.
The meeting was followed by open house discussion and suggestions on the status of implementation of the guidelines from the present representatives of the States/UTs.
At the end of the program, Smt. Rupali Banerjee Singh, Member Secretary, NCPCR thanked all the participants for their active participation.