Statement by India under Agenda Item: 3 Interactive dialogue with SR on the Sale and Sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material at the 46th Session of the Human Rights Council (22 February – 23 March 2021), delivered by Mr. Pawankumar Badhe First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India, [Geneva, 02 March 2021]
Madam President,
My delegation thanks the Special Rapporteur for the presentation of the report.
2. The unprecedented socio-economic crises have exacerbated the situation of the vulnerable segments of the societies including children. The pandemic has seriously impacted the education, nutrition, safety and health of children.
3. The Government of India has attached the utmost importance to the protection and promotion of the rights of children. Even during the pandemic, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has ensured development, care and protection of children through continued implementation of various policies and programmes.
4. Under the Government’s Nutrition Mission rural child care centres, known as anganwadi centres, are being used to deliver a package of six services, including supplementary nutrition, pre-school non-formal education, immunization, health check-ups, nutrition and health education, and referral services to nearly 83 million beneficiaries.
5. The foremost strategy adopted by the Centre to handle nutrition schemes and services during the Covid-19 crisis has been the provision of supplementary food and rations at the doorstep of beneficiaries through rural child care centres and workers.
6. India has also enacted Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, to deal with sexual violence against children of all genders. This law was further strengthened in 2020 to provide stringent punishment, special courts as well as procedural measures to protect the child during investigation and trial. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has also developed a portal called Track Child to track missing and found children in India.
I Thank you, Madam President.
