Question : SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN PLAY SCHOOL AND ANGANWADIS

(a) whether incidents of sexual harassment of girls in various play schools and Anganwadi Centres have been reported across the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof during each of the last three years and the current year, along with the action taken by the Government thereon State/UT-wise;

(c) the details of guidelines if any issued by the Government in this regard;

(d) whether the Government has received complaints regarding operation of play schools and anganwadi- centres without proper registration/permission in the country;

(e) if so, the details thereof State/UT-wise; and

(f) the action including punitive measures taken/ likely to be taken against such institutions?

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)

(a) The information on cases of sexual harassment of girls in various play schools and Anganwadi Centres is not maintained separately by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Ministry of Home Affairs.. However, as per data available with NCRB, a total of 7112, 8541 and 12363 cases of child rape were reported during 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively. So far as the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is concerned, it has registered only one case of sexual abuse of a three year old girl child in a play school in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh during May, 2014.

(b) State/UT wise cases registered, cases chargesheeted, cases convicted, persons arrested, persons chargesheeted, persons convicted and cases conviction rate under child rape during 2011-2013 are at Annexure-I.


(c) Till recent past various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were used to deal with sexual offences against children as the law did not make a distinction between an adult and a child. Therefore, keeping in view the need of the time, to deal with the cases of child sexual abuse in more effective manner, the Government has enacted a special law “Protection of Children from sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012” which has come into effect from 14th November, 2012. This law provides protection to all children under the age of 18 years from the offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography. Section 39 of the Act requires the State Governments to prepare guidelines for use of NGOs, professional and experts or persons to be associated with the pre-trial and trial stage to assist the child.On request from several State Governments, Model Guidelines were developed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and sent to all the State Governments/UT Administrations in September, 2013, which can be adopted or adapted by them for better implementation of the said Act. Some of the State Governments/ UTs have formulated these guidelines. Ministry of Human Resource Development has also issued guidelines to all States and UTs on safety and security of children in schools.

(d): No such complaint has been received by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

(e) & (f): In view of (d) above, question does not arise.