AP Govt to take up massive awareness campaign

Vijayawada: The state government has decided to launch massive campaign to create awareness on women and children’s safety as part of the zero tolerance policy towards sex crimes in the state.  

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had reacted very serious after the incident of rape in Dachepalli in Guntur district and emphasised the need for collective efforts to check crimes against women and children.

As part of the campaign, all district collectors were instructed to hold programmes to sensitise women and children on the safety and protection and were asked to prepare action plan to protect the potential victims under their jurisdiction. The awareness programmes will be conducted in all educational institutions, hospitals, work places, etc in the state. 

Teachers and students will be educated on women’s rights, Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences ) Act and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act. Women and child welfare, education, labour, police and other departments have to play key role in sensitising the people about the women and children protection and laws related to the offences.  

Labour department will conduct awareness programmes for unorganised labour like rikshaw-pullers, auto-rikshaw drivers, hawkers, migrant workers, etc., to create awareness on women and child protection and identifying the children at risk.

The state government released GO No. 11 on May 4 in this regard and issued guidelines to some government department what should be done to check the menace of sexual abuse.  

Special seminars will be conducted for schoolchildren to identify the problem and threats. Children will be educated about the ‘good touch and bad touch’ and intentions of the people if any one misbehaves with them. 

Children will be taught how to protect themselves from such situations. As per the GO No 11, workshops will be conducted for the children and adolescent girls enabling them to handle any situation where they feel helpless and attacked.

The government decided to educate men and boys too about the women’s and girls’ rights and create awareness on the implications on violation of basic rights and sexual offences.

Women and child welfare department Krishna district project director K Krishnakumari felt GO No 11 will be very useful to prevent crime against the women. She said the GO clearly mentions the responsibilities of various government departments.