by Jessica Augustine
MUMBAI, OCT 15, 2018: One hundred and twenty-five students from Bosco Boys Home and Technical Institute, Borivli participated in a session on Rights of Children with reference to POCSO Act, 2012 and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 which was conducted by Doctor Chhaya Shah, Advocate Aarti Shah and Doctor Sabeena Gonsalves on October 12.
Deacon Romero D’Souza, the vice principal of the Institute, welcomed the guest speakers and thanked them for the initiative and service offered to the Institute. The session was organised as part of the many initiatives and awareness programmes conducted for the students to help them mature into good human beings.The session began with Doctor Shah explaining how children are the future of our nation and hence it is our responsibility to ensure their welfare and protection of their interests. She discussed the Constitutional provisions relating to children and elaborated on the burning issue of Juvenile delinquency through cases and important provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. She concluded the discussion by emphasising on the reformative theory of punishment and that it is the moral duty of each stakeholder to protect the interests of children.
Advocate Shah then made the students aware about the help offered under the POCSO Act 2012 (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) to punish the abusers (saaja), and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 to mend their ways (sudhar).
“Being an Advocate is a noble profession. Law is a system of rules that regulates and ensures that individuals or a community adhere to the will of the state and help in the progress and development of the society,” Advocate Shah, said.
“This session made me contemplate about how society has become so insensitive towards another life. The crux of the matter was not to be a victim or fall into the category of a juvenile delinquent but as a responsible young citizen we too should empathize and be vigilant and safe. It was indeed an enriching and effective session,” Chiraj Shah, a student, said.
“I would like to thank the management and staff of Bosco Boys Home and Technical Institute for the support and co-operation offered towards us. I was impressed with the maturity of the students and the positive responses, which we received from them. I hope that the message given to them may spread to many more youngsters and together through their lived example and deeds we may be able to do something good for the society,” Gonsalves, the coordinator of the event, said.