Welcome to Day 1 of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act Certification Program.
Today marks the beginning of your journey toward understanding one of the most crucial child protection laws in India.
✅ Topics Covered:
- Background & Need for the Act
- Why was the POCSO Act introduced?
- Child abuse statistics in India
- International frameworks and obligations
- Scope and Applicability
- Who is protected under this law?
- What constitutes a “child” under the Act?
- Coverage of offenses in schools, homes, institutions, and public spaces
- Key Definitions
- Sexual assault, harassment, penetrative/non-penetrative assault
- Aggravated offenses
- Consent, child, accused, etc.
- Salient Features of the Act
- Gender-neutral protection
- Mandatory reporting (Sec 19)
- In-camera trials and child-friendly procedures
- Special Courts for speedy trials
- Case Study Discussion
- Real-life case for analysis (anonymized)
- What went wrong? What could have been done?
Exercise Files