Workshop on Prevention of Child Marriage and Child Sexual Abuse Act held
By Prassan Kumar Paikaraya
Khordha, Mar 19 : An awareness workshop on Prevention of Child Marriage and Child Sexual Abuse Act was held at Begunia Panchayat Samiti Conference Hall.
The workshop was organized by the District Child Protection Unit and Plan India. Begunia Panchayat Samiti and Block Level Child Welfare Protection Committee Chairman Laxmidhara Subudhi formally inaugurated the workshop as the chief guest.
District Child Protection Officer(DCPO) Banishree Patnaik discussed in detail about the aims and objectives of the workshop. Chairman District Child Welfare Committee,Kanta Mohanty, participated as a trainer and discussed extensively about the consequences of child marriage and child sexual abuse.
She said in her speech, child marriage deeply affects the education, health and future of children. Along with this, child sexual abuse is a serious crime and there are strict legal provisions for it.
The prohibition of child marriage act (PCMA)2006 effective November -1st 2007 in India prohibits marriages and protect minors.It makes child marriage a cognizable non-bailable offence with punishment.
The protection of children from Sexual Offences Act-2012 has been passed by the Lok Sabha 22nd May 2012. The protection of children from Sexual Offences Act-2012 has been drafted to strengthen the legal profession for the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
In the workshop, all the Sarpanchs, temple priests, ICDS supervisors were made aware about the POCSO Act-2012 and the Prevention of Child Marriage Act-2006 and the protection, rights and legal assistance of children.
Various departments such as ABEO, Naliniprabha Devi, CDPO,Binodini Panda,ASI, Begunia PS,Manguli Behera, Begunia Panchayat Samiti,GPDO Dinabandhu Das participated prominently and delivered speeches on the prevention of child marriage and the protection of children from sexual offences Act.
At the end of the workshop everyone was urged to take an aware and active role in preventing child marriage and child sexual abuse. The program was organized by Plan India khordha district co-ordinator Pradyut Ranjan Rout, while District Child Protection Unit social activist Ranjan Kumar Gochhayat, Plan India Social activist Madhusmita Patra, Kalpana Sahu and Bandana Panda contributed significantly.
