Permanent Mission of India
Geneva
Human Rights Council –31stSession
(29 February-24 March 2016)
Annual Full Day Meeting on the Rights of the Child
(7th March 2016)
STATEMENT BY INDIA
Mr. President,
We acknowledge the urgent need for addressing the ever-growing violations of the rights of the child through the gross abuse of new information and communication technologies. We thank the panelists for their timely and important presentations.
2. Given the fact ICT is an increasingly integral component of everyday life; the menace of online child sex abuse acquires even greater significance. Today, across the globe, and especially in the developing world, ICT is becoming an important tool for education and social development. In its relatively short lifespan, Internet has emerged as a crucial channel for formal and informal education; creativity; social interaction and large-scale civic participation. Unfortunately, it is the growing popularity of this remarkable technological tool that has also opened several possibilities of new and devious ways of sexual exploitation.
3. The newness of Internet, coupled with its intrinsic quality of rapid evolution, poses myriad challenges in creating adequate legislative and policy protection for the potential victims. This is further compounded by the transnational nature of Internet. In the absence of a robust globally coordinate response, the national legislative efforts run a real risk of failure. Moreover, the operational character of Internet necessitates collaboration amongst not only the governments but also other social and economic organizations especially the corporate sector.
4. The history of scientific evolution is replete with examples of twin-edged technologies. Internet too has come to us with its dark potentially harmful side. However, it is our considered view that, on balance, it is a force for good. In my own country, Internet has proven its ability to bring about positive social transformation by touching lives of millions across the core development sectors of health, education, social awareness & civic participation. Under these circumstances, the solutions to the social ills germinating from ICT will have to be construed through intelligent use of these very technologies.
5. The fight against the perpetrators of ICT-facilitated sexual crimes against children will have to begin by spreading digital literacy, which is one of the core components of the Digital Indiainitiative launched by my government in July 2015. The objective is to enhance Internet connectivity though improved online infrastructure. A digitally empowered citizenry will be better placed to guide and assist its children in identifying suspect online behavior and warding off the potential predators.
6. Since digital literacy needs to be complemented by firm legislative measures, Government of India has put in place the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act in 2012. It is a comprehensive law to provide for the protection of childrenfrom the offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography, while safeguarding theinterests of the child at every stage of the judicial process by incorporating child-friendlymechanisms for reporting, recording of evidence, investigation and speedy trial of offencesthrough designated Special Courts.
7. The struggle against online sexual abuse of children is still a work in progress. We hope that today’s deliberations help us towards formulating better policies and further strengthening our existing defence mechanisms.
Word count: Abt. 500
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