Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Saturday stressed on taking steps to protect the mental health of Judges and prosecutors who deal with a variety of cases daily.
Irani was speaking during the Inaugural Session of the two-day national consultation on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, organised by the Supreme Court Committee on Juvenile Justice, in association with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
She said the Judges and prosecutors who bring forth the evidence and engage with the victims, also need support.
Stating that they must be dealing with a lot of stress, the Minister said taking steps to improve the mental health of Judges and Prosecutors would go a long way in strengthening the system.
She said this, while having a conversation with Supreme Court Judge, Justice S. Ravindra Bhat.
The Minister stressed on the need to improve the system regarding the collection of evidence and engaging with the victim, saying that steps should be taken to prevent the re-traumatisation of victim.
As per the Minister, under the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the support of Nirbhaya fund, the Government of India had actualised over 1,000 fast track courts in the country, out of which 300 were particularly dedicated to the cause of children and the POCSO Act.
She urged the stakeholders and Judges to tell the Ministry how it could partner with the justice system in the country regarding infrastructure, so as to ensure expedited solutions for children.
She further sought suggestions on methodologies that the Union Government, especially the Ministry of Women and Child Development, could develop to help children and guardians get a conclusion with respect to justice and compensation.
Stating that children were the only entity in this country who were not a vote bank, the Minister said they needed consistent consideration and kindness.