VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur has stressed the need for creating legal awareness among students.
He participated in the Annual State Level Stakeholders Consultation-2025 on ‘Safeguarding the Girl Child: Towards a Safer and Enabling Environment for her in India’ at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram in Vijayawada on Sunday.
He underscored the need to create a safe and supportive environment for girls, stressing both legal enforcement and social awareness as key to it.
He noted that sensitising students and the community about the consequences of harassment could play a significant role in curbing incidents of sexual misconduct. He underlined that preventive measures through education and awareness would help build safer environments for students, particularly girls.
“Protecting a girl child is not charity. It is an investment in the progress and dignity of our society and our nation. Worryingly, most abusers are known to the victims such as relatives, domestic workers, or acquaintances, making parental vigilance essential,” he said, urging the Education Department to launch structured awareness drives on the POCSO Act, especially for Class 9 and 10 boys, to prevent adolescent mistakes that could have lifelong consequences.
Justice Revati Mohite Dere of Bombay High Court emphasised that the Constitution guarantees every child the right to life, dignity, equality, and protection from exploitation.
She outlined strategies to safeguard girls, including effective enforcement of laws like the POCSO Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, empowering girls through education and leadership opportunities, and involving communities in challenging gender bias.
Justice Ravi Nath Tilhari, Chairperson of the Juvenile Justice Committee, highlighted that protecting girls is a collective constitutional duty, not just the responsibility of families or the State. While laws and policies exist, he said many girls still face denial of safety, health, and opportunities. “A safe and educated girl grows into a strong woman who transforms families, communities, and the nation. Failing her is failing the promise of justice and equality,” he observed.
Justice V Sujatha described girls as creators and innovators, stressing that their empowerment begins at home. “A world without girls is like a world without water,” she remarked, urging parents to teach boys respect and equality from childhood. She called upon society to end child marriage, discrimination, and denial of education. “Protecting a girl means not just shielding her from harm but giving her the freedom to dream and achieve,” she said.
Participants reaffirmed the shared responsibility of institutions, communities and families in ensuring that every girl grows up with dignity.