[17 Jan 2017] Prerana ATC Release - Technology-based Solutions to Tackle Online Child Sex Offences

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We had earlier shared this news of the first week of December 2016 that indicated a major breakthrough and advantage over the existing technology based solutions to tackle online child sex offences. It was later learnt that not many organizations received this news hence I am resending the news items.

I have in the past, on several platforms shared my observation that empirical research on pornography is physically, mentally as well as legally hazardous. Actions against online sexual offences against children cannot be tackled merely with software based solutions although they can facilitate them. The existing software based solutions have severe limitations arising from legal multiplicities and diversities, the unevenness in the political will across the States of the world to combat the crime and the hugely unreliable data bases. Many of the existing solutions also can not address the peer to peer transfer of images which is very rampant.

Against that background the new solution mentioned in the news below appears like a significant breakthrough and a big leap. The trials of this solution have also shown significant accuracy. It is quite surprising that the news has not received the attention it deserved.

Our governments, international organizations, UN agencies and the media would do better if they facilitate the adoption of this solution or work to evolve our own versions (given our computer and IT capacity) and integrate the enforcement agencies in the process which will facilitate their sense of ownership.

Dr. Pravin Patkar

No Grounds for Confusion over Positions of IPC and POCSO over Sex with Wife below 18 and 15 years

Some people have a misapprehension that there is an unresolved conflict between the Indian penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act- 2012( POCSO) w.r.t sex with one’s wife who is between the age of 15 and 18 years.. The news item reproduced below informs us that Kailash Satyarthi’s Bachpan Bachao Andolan has moved the apex court seeking clarity on this conflict. My comments on the alleged lack of clarity.

- Dr. Pravin Patkar

The Winners Win Again

 The ‘under 17' Kabaddi team of Ranpakhare (Birds from the Wild) Ashramshala today defeated all the other under 17 Kabaddi teams in Mumbai and bagged the Championship in the Mumbai region.

In the final game Ranpakhare Team defeated the Mumbai Suburban Team by 24 points. I had the privilege of founding this Tribal Residential School in 1987 and run it for 26 years till 2012. These were the children of 7000 bonded labour families who used to get dragged forcibly for making charcoal by cutting the forests of the Western Ghat. Many young children who could not endure the hardship used to lose their lives along the way.

We fought and put an end to the bondage. In one season I had counted 65 children dying or disappearing during the annual vicious trail. As the final measure in the struggle tribal representatives, one from each tribal village, accompanied me as we sat for a Fast Unto Death in front of the CST Railway Station in Mumbai in 1986. The Mumbai High Court filed a Suo Motu Writ and summoned Govt of Maharashtra to respond.

In the negotiations that followed on the 5th Day ‘several’ measures were taken up by the state and us to rehabilitate the tribals. One of my demands was of residential education for the children. Govt of Maharashtra responded by agreeing to sanction an Ashramshala, a residential school. The Ashramshala did well and was awarded as the Best Ashramshala in 2006 by the Govt. of Maharashtra. Not just that, it claimed and retained supremacy in sports championships in the State and represented the State at the National competition in Kabaddi. When the 1st batch appeared for the external Board’s exam of 10th std the result was 93%.

The Ashramshala now has 100% passing at the 10th Std Board’s exam. Although we handed over the Ashramshala to Pawar Public Charitable Trust (PPCT) in 2012 to make it still better we continue to contribute to the education of the girl students in whatever way we can.

This week 32 former girl students of Ranpakhare who are pursuing higher education will be given a stipend of Rs. 10,000/- each. Another 15 tribal girls from Talasari, Thane district will be given the same.

As soon as the Team finished the game, the Team manager Whatsapped me all the god news to share his joy.

Bondage is over. Only the bond remains!

- Prof. (Dr.) Pravin Patkar

Quick Comments on India's Anti Human Trafficking Bill's 4th Draft - Dr. Pravin Patkar

Quick Comments on India's Anti Human Trafficking Bill's 4th Draft - Dr. Pravin Patkar 

Prerana ATC: 8th September 2016

 Good News!

The ATC – Prerana is happy to share with you the news on the front of the introduction of a new anti human trafficking law by the Min of Women & Child Development - Government of India.

More than a month ago the GoI had released its 3^rd Draft for public discussion after having dropped its 1^st and 2^nd Drafts in face of strong criticism and informed critique by us and others. We are proud to state that the ATC Prerana for the first time in the country analysed the drafts critically and in an informed and substantiated manner and exposed some of their dangerous effects on the society. Keeping in with its lofty tradition ATC-Prerana also shared its critique widely with a variety of civil society organizations, media persons, elected representatives, international anti trafficking networks, victim collectives, and individuals holding opinion making capability.

Several groups from within India and abroad appreciated the critique issued by us and acknowledged that the ATC-Prerana helped them properly understand the Drafts and their serious implications. ATC-Prerana disapproved the non participatory and exclusive style in which the government Committee (which also had some civil society representatives)  functioned. The law and policy making process in a democracy must be transparent inclusive and participatory and should exhibit accountability. This saves the government from embarrassment. ATC-Prerana also openly appreciated the Ministry’s initiative of reaching out to the public for wider consultations. 

ATC – Prerana played a key role in mobilizing and putting in motion the process of analysing the Drafts seriously by different platforms in an inclusive manner which had been consistently missing in the functioning of the GoI and its Committee constituted for this purpose.

I am happy to share with you the news that we have met with significant success in our initial efforts to block some undesirable changes in the nation’s anti trafficking law. 

• ·         The Min of WCD Govt of India has withdrawn the 3^rd Draft of its Anti Trafficking Bill.
• ·         It has dropped the idea of repealing the ITP Act.
• ·         It has dropped the idea of shifting Sections 370 & 370-A from the IPC to the new law.
• ·         It   has dropped the new definition of trafficking that it had evolved in the 2^nd and 3^rd Drafts

That is quite a remarkable victory and ATC-Prerana congratulates and thanks all its partners and supporters in this advocacy effort.

It looks probable that a few resourceful anti social and opportunistic elements were trying to mislead the law and policy making processes to certain dangerous ends. The 2^nd and the 3^rd Draft clearly indicated that some groups were desperately trying to surreptitiously introduce decriminalisation of sex traffickers and sex traders which would have only resulted in the trafficking of another hundreds of thousands of vulnerable women and children from India and its South Asian neighbours besides enormously wasting the tax payers’ hard earned money on creating and maintaining some absolutely uncalled for agencies and committees. These opportunistic elements are still active. I appeal to all the right thinking people to act united to stop them, and to participate constructively in the law making process.

Prerana – ACT launched a multidimensional advocacy drive by appealing to and involving every possible platform that it could from the international to the local levels. We did find ourselves a lonely voice in the beginning but over time the snowball did gather a mass.

Prerana- ATC is grateful to all its supporters and partners for responding to its appeals and calls for meetings. It is thankful to International Justice Mission for generously hosting the rounds of discussions for this purpose. ATC-Prerana is particularly thankful to Mr. Yogesh Pawar and the DNA newspaper for their strategic support.

This is not a time to relax! We have to continue our efforts. The Govt of India has released a 4^th Draft and we must respond to that. I strongly feel that the government is open to conviction and has not adopted any repressive or punitive stance to the frank expression of well meaning and socially useful opinions. In this matter I feel that it was merely misled by poor intelligence. We communicated our ideas and found the Govt open to considering them. I feel that the available opportunity to comment on its proposal must be utilized constructively by all of us. Click here to download the 4th Draft for your reference. Do get back with your suggestions and do not hesitate to rely upon your very own authentic and trustworthy source of information and opinion the Anti Trafficking Centre of Prerana.

Proud to protect the vulnerable against the exploiters! Committed to protecting human dignity!!

Dr. Pravin Patkar

Director - Anti Trafficking Centre - PRERANA

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On the front of advocacy one has to ACT and communicate and not merely discuss and discuss and discuss leisurely.  If we don’t communicate our views, critique and suggestions on time then it is like buying and wrapping a birthday gift but not delivering it to the person and on the Day. Advocacy is essentially a political process involving issue identification, issue articulation, issues aggregation and issues communication.