Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai on Saturday expressed concern about girls being in a particularly vulnerable position due to online harassment, cyberbullying and ‘digital stalking’ as well as access to personal data and deepfake photos.
He stressed the need to make special laws in this regard and to provide special training to law enforcement agencies and policy makers. ‘Digital stalking’ is the act of harassing, threatening or stalking a person using the internet and other electronic means.
The Chief Justice expressed his concern at the National Annual Stakeholder Consultation on “Safety of the Girl Child: Towards a Safe and Enabling Environment for them in India” organized under the aegis of the Juvenile Justice Committee (JJC) of the Supreme Court in collaboration with UNICEF, India.
He said that despite constitutional and legal protection, many girls across the country are still deprived of their fundamental rights and even the basic means of survival. This vulnerability makes them extremely vulnerable to sexual exploitation, harassment and harmful practices and other serious risks.
The Chief Justice said, “Ensuring the safety of the girl child is not just about protecting her body, but about liberating her soul. To create a society where she can hold her head high with dignity and where her aspirations are nurtured by education and equality… We must confront and overcome the deep-rooted patriarchal customs that deny girls their rightful place.”
Recalling Rabindranath Tagore’s poem “Where the Mind is Without Fear”, Justice Gavai said it captures the essence of what we are trying to achieve for the safety of the girl child. “This dream will remain unfulfilled as long as any girl in our country lives in fear – in fear of violence, in fear of discrimination, or in fear of being denied the opportunity to learn and dream,” she said.