Officials along with the students of GHS Kandinu during an awareness programme held at the school premises in Kohima on September 25.
Kohima, September 25 (MExN): The Kohima District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), in collaboration with Government High School Kandinu, conducted a legal awareness programme at the school, officials said.
The programme was chaired by Mary Nsu, Para-Legal Volunteer (PLV), and began with an invocation by Mehaimo Kath, Pastor, Sishunu Baptist Church, followed by a welcome address by Hisinlo Keppen, Headmaster of Government High School Kandinu.
Nagali Shohe, Retainer Lawyer, Kohima DLSA, addressed students, teachers, church leaders and student leaders during the first session on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
She explained various offences under the Act, including gestures amounting to sexual harassment, sexual assault, penetrative sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault, along with the maximum punishments prescribed for them.
Shohe also spoke about good touch and bad touch and stressed the importance of a child-friendly approach to enable children to freely report incidents they may have experienced. She explained that proceedings involving children are handled differently from adult cases and highlighted provisions relating to the protection of a victim's identity.
She also spoke about the Victim Compensation Scheme and the Juvenile Justice Act and urged students to immediately report any offence they come to know of to the concerned authorities. She encouraged them to make use of the Child Helpline number 1098.
In the second session, Haiyale Kath, Panel Lawyer, addressed the school's staff and teachers on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, commonly known as the PoSH Act.
She explained the provisions and penalties under the Act and discussed digital sexual harassment and verbal, non-verbal and physical forms of sexual harassment, noting that such incidents can occur not only within the workplace but also outside it.
Kath also highlighted instances of sexual harassment faced by women in Nagaland and said that an aggrieved woman, or another person on her behalf, can lodge a complaint.
She stressed the mandatory constitution of an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), the penalty for failing to constitute such a committee and the need to ensure dignity and a safe working environment for women.
During the interactive session, participants actively engaged with the resource speakers and raised queries, which were addressed by them.
