Statement by India under Agenda Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children, including Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and other Child Sexual Abuse Material at the 52nd Session of Human Rights Council (27 February – 4 April 2023) delivered by Mr. S. Senthil Kumar, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, 8 March 2023 Statement by India under Agenda Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Sale..
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Statement by India under Agenda Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children, including Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and other Child Sexual Abuse Material at the 52nd Session of Human Rights Council (27 February – 4 April 2023) delivered by Mr. S. Senthil Kumar, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, 8 March 2023

Statement by India under Agenda Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children, including Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and other Child Sexual Abuse Material at the 52nd Session of Human Rights Council (27 February – 4 April 2023) delivered by Mr. S. Senthil Kumar, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, 8 March 2023

Madam Vice-President,

My delegation thanks the Special Rapporteur for the presentation of the report and takes note of the conclusions and recommendations.

2. India is committed to ensuring the survival, protection, development and participation of children following the principle of ‘best interests of the child’.

3. We have taken several measures, including statutory and policy measures to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) has been enacted to protect children from sexual exploitation, child marriage and child labour. The Act provides stringent punishment for the same. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2006 makes child marriage a cognizable and non-bailable offence.

4. Govt. of India is fully aware that reparation is a crucial component of meaningful remedy and recovery for child victims and survivors of sale and sexual exploitation. Towards realizing this, POCSO Act provides for Special Courts to determine the amount of compensation to be paid to a child who has been sexually abused so that this money can then be used for the child’s medical treatment and rehabilitation. The Compensation Scheme for Women Victims/Survivors of Sexual Assault/Other Crimes, 2018 also provides for compensation to victims of child sexual abuse.

5. In addition, our Juvenile Justice Act mandates a security net of service delivery structures to provide institutional and non-institutional care for children.

6. In conclusion, we would like to affirm the Government’s commitment to take further measures to protect children from sale and sexual exploitation.

I thank you.

To ensure safe cyber space for children, the IT Rules of 2011 mandate IT intermediaries such as internet, network, telecom, service providers, search engines and social media intermediaries, among others, to ensure that content harmful to minors is not displayed in anyway.

India remains committed to leave no child behind. Our statutory provisions and institutional mechanisms ensure that child protection and child welfare issues are addressed effectively.

9. The Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act of 2005 mandates establishment of Statutory Commissions at the Centre and State levels to protect, uphold and promote child rights.

I thank you.