UP Legal Services Authority launches statewide POCSO awareness campaign.

Lucknow: Justice Arun Bhansali, Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and Patron-in-Chief of the Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority, observed that many young persons remain unaware that the law accords special protection to every person below the age of eighteen years and that acts which may be perceived as harmless, consensual or inconsequential can attract serious legal consequences when they involve a child.

Addressing the launch event of a state-wise Special Awareness Drive on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2021 to sensitive school children on its legal provisions and consequences, he said that awareness and understanding of the provisions of the POCSO Act are essential both for protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation and for preventing young persons from becoming involved in criminal proceedings due to ignorance of the law.

The programme has been launched under the leadership of the Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), Justice Vikram Nath, Judge, Supreme Court of India, and the Executive Chairman, Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority, Justice Arindam Sinha, Senior Judge, High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority.

One of the principal concerns prompting this statewide initiative is the growing number of cases in which adolescent young men become accused persons under the POCSO Act owing to ignorance of the law and a mistaken belief that consent, affection, friendship, or an intention to marry provides a legal defence.

The campaign aims to dispel these misconceptions and ensure that young people understand that, in law, a minor's consent has no legal validity and that violations can result in severe penal consequences. The campaign also focuses on sensitising adolescent boys and young men about the consequences of relationships involving persons below 18 years of age. The campaign's culmination on Gandhi Jayanti will symbolise the Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority's commitment to promoting child protection, legal awareness, and access to justice.

Justice Arindam Sinha, in a message to the children across the state, emphasised that awareness is the strongest safeguard against exploitation and legal violations. He highlighted that under the law, any person below the age of 18 years is a child and that ignorance of the provisions of the POCSO Act can have serious consequences for children, adolescents and their families. He urged students to understand their rights and responsibilities, respect personal boundaries, and seek assistance whenever required through the legal aid system and child protection mechanisms.

The drive was formally inaugurated today, and as part of the first phase of the campaign, Judicial Officers across all districts of Uttar Pradesh visited schools and addressed morning assemblies on the provisions and legal consequences of the POCSO Act, 2012. The officers interacted directly with students, explained important aspects of child protection laws, and answered questions to promote informed and responsible conduct among adolescents.

The awareness drive is being implemented through the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) in coordination with educational institutions, district administration, police authorities, child protection agencies and other stakeholders. District-level Monitoring Committees comprising the District Judge/Chairperson, DLSA, the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police have been constituted to oversee and coordinate the programme throughout the State. To ensure the campaign becomes a sustained, continuous learning initiative rather than a one-time awareness exercise, Nodal Officers are being designated in every school in every district. These officers are being sensitised and provided necessary guidance on the campaign's objectives and key provisions of the POCSO Act for effective dissemination.

The Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority hopes the initiative to reach lakhs of students across urban and rural areas and to strengthen awareness among children, parents, teachers and the wider community.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

V R C Phaniharan

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V R C Phaniharan is a journalist with 20-plus years of experience. He holds a Master's degree in Philosophy from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, and a Master's degree in Law, specialised in corporate law. He writes on public policy and governance, children's issues, education and students' welfare, agriculture, environment and ecology, and science and technology. His interests include Reading, Indian Music, IKS, and Law.

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