“Protection, Dignity, and Empowerment of the Girl Child is a Moral and Constitutional Duty” – Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha

Raipur, August 24

Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court, Bilaspur, Shri Ramesh Sinha, has stated that ensuring the safety, dignity, and empowerment of the girl child is not just a legal responsibility but also a moral and constitutional obligation. He emphasized that creating a safe environment for girls goes beyond protecting them from crime – it must begin with positive measures such as quality education, access to healthcare, freedom of expression, and equal opportunities. The purpose of every institution, he said, should not be limited to preventing injustice but also to enable and empower.

Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha was addressing a state-level program on the theme “Girl Child Protection – Towards a Safe and Enabling Environment in India,” organized by the Special POCSO Cell and Juvenile Justice Committee of the Chhattisgarh High Court, in collaboration with the Chhattisgarh State Judicial Academy and Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority, Bilaspur. During the event, he also released a leaflet titled “The Role of Various Stakeholders Under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.”

Chief Justice Sinha highlighted the need for a multi-sectoral approach to girl child protection:

Healthcare professionals for treatment

Police for security

Community for nurturing

Legal institutions for safeguarding rights

And above all, society must change its mindset and accept its duty

He stated that if we adopt this collective approach, we can build not just a safer, but a truly enabling environment, where every girl in India can dream freely, move forward fearlessly, and realize her full potential. Every institution of governance, he added, must act as a guardian of children’s rights.
He asserted, “It is our sacred duty to ensure justice for every victim. The young girl is the soul of India. We must hold her hand and lead her into the future with dignity. This vision must be driven not by charity or favor, but by a sense of justice and duty.”

Key Discussions During the Event:

In the technical sessions, participants discussed:

Violence against girls in the state, national, and global contexts

Review of government initiatives like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao”

Strategies to ensure a safe school environment

Role of NGOs in public awareness, and the importance of community and family support

Promoting gender sensitivity and a safe home environment

Challenges in the implementation of child protection services

Psychological impacts of violence on girls and the importance of health awareness

Building child-friendly environments with support from organizations like UNICEF

Roles of the Juvenile Justice Board and State Legal Services Authority

Distinguished Participants:

The program was also addressed by Justice Smt. Rajni Dubey and Shri Sanjay K. Agrawal.
Present on the occasion were:

Justices Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi, Parth Pratim Sahu, Sachin Singh Rajput, Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal, Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, and Amitendra Kishore Prasad

Principal Secretary of the Law Department

Director of the Judicial Academy

Judges from Fast-Track Courts and the Juvenile Justice Board

Chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights

Representatives from UNICEF, various district administration departments, NGOs, and officers from the Legal Services Authority

The vote of thanks was delivered by Justice Bibhudatta Guru.