ITANAGAR, Nov 21: An international webinar on legal awareness titled ‘Prevention of sexual abuse & trafficking against children’ organized by the Bhagidari Jan Sahyog Samiti with principal partners the Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (APSLSA) was held today.

The programme was conducted with support from Delhi and Haryana State Legal Services Authority in association with Punjab State Legal Services Authority with co-organizers Opu Aama Society (Arunachal Pradesh), Arunachal University of Studies, DAV University Punjab and other partners KR Mangalam University, NSS Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University Delhi, NSS JC Bose University of Science & Technology,  YMCA Haryana, Faculty of Arts & Social Science Swami Vivekananda Subharty University, UP.

During the inaugural session, Justice Indira Banerjee, Judge, Supreme Court, shared her experience on child abuse and trafficking cases. She also highlighted various activities taken up when she was an executive chairperson of West Bengal & Delhi SLSAs.

Justice Daya Chaudhary, Judge, Punjab & Haryana High Court and executive chairperson of Haryana SLSA, spoke on various legal service activities taken up by Haryana SLSA. APSLSA Member Secretary Jaweplu Chai was invited as guest speaker in the webinar, which was participated among others by judicial officers, legal aid counsels and para-legal volunteers across the State.

During the technical session, AUS Vice Chancellor O P Sharma spoke on issues of sexual abuse and trafficking of children and effect of sexual abuse on children.

During the technical session, Union Minister of State for Women & Child Development, Debasree Chaudhuri spoke on measures taken by the government to prevent sexual abuse and trafficking of children by making stringent laws like amending POCSO Act and child helpline number etc.

Prof Shahnaz Hadu, Dept of Law, Dhaka University (Bangladesh), spoke on sexual abuse and tracking of children in Bangladesh and presented data of child abuse cases. She also spoke on measures taken by the Bangladesh government for prevention of the same.

Pragna Parande, member, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, spoke on measures taken by the Commission to tackle problem of sexual abuse and trafficking of children in India with the help of other departments, etc.

Kanwal Jeet Arora, Addl Dist & Sessions Judge & Member Secretary, Delhi SLSA highlighted the role of SLSA by creating awareness about the laws for children and how the Legal Services Authority provides legal assistance to victims.