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Journalism of Courage
Underlining that the dangers to young girls are no longer confined to physical spaces, but extend to the digital world, Chief Justice of India B R Gavai Saturday said that protecting them from such threats must become a core priority of digital governance.
Delivering the inaugural address at the 10th Annual Stakeholders Consultation on ‘Safeguarding the Girl Child: Towards a Safer and Enabling Environment for Her in India’ organised by the Supreme Court, the CJI said, “In today’s technological era, where innovation defines progress, it is important to recognise that technology, though empowering, also brings new vulnerabilities, especially for the girl child. The threats faced by young girls are no longer confined to physical spaces, they extend into the vast and often unregulated digital world.”
He pointed out that “from online harassment, cyberbullying, and digital stalking to the misuse of personal data and deepfake imagery, the challenges have evolved in both scale and sophistication.”
“Our institutions, policy frameworks, and enforcement authorities must therefore be attuned to the realities of our times. Training programmes for police officers, educators, health professionals, and local administrators should consequently incorporate a sensitive approach, equipping them to respond with empathy, nuance, and contextual understanding,” the CJI said.
He said that laws addressing online sexual exploitation, digital trafficking, and cyber harassment must be paired with effective enforcement, education, and awareness initiatives. “Protecting the girl child must become a core priority of digital governance, ensuring that technological progress is accompanied by ethical safeguards.”
The CJI stressed that as we advance into a digital future, “technology must serve as a tool for liberation rather than exploitation”. “Safeguarding the girl child today means securing her future in classrooms, workplaces, and on every screen she encounters,” he stated.
“If the collective conscience of a nation is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable, then the strength and destiny of that nation are inextricably linked to the well-being and empowerment of its daughters,” he said, ruing that “despite…constitutional and legal guarantees, many girls across India continue to be tragically denied their fundamental rights and even basic necessities for survival. This vulnerability exposes them to disproportionately high risks of sexual abuse, exploitation, and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, malnutrition, sex-selective abortions, trafficking, and child marriage against their will.”
“This,” the CJI said, “demands a deeper examination of the social, economic, and cultural barriers that continue to impede girls’ lives.
“While the judiciary can play a role in reaffirming rights and ensuring accountability, the primary responsibility for implementing these rights rests with the executive. In protecting the rights of children, especially girls, the executive plays the most crucial role as they are the primary stakeholders in these issues,” he added.
‘Need to confront patriarchal customs’
The CJI said that Rabindranath Tagore’s vision of a nation “where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; where knowledge is free…remains incomplete so long as any girl in our country lives in fear: fear of violence, of discrimination, or of being denied the chance to learn and to dream.”
He said that “to secure her safety is not merely to protect her body, but to free her spirit. To create a society where she can hold her head high in dignity, and where her aspirations are nourished by education and equality.” The CJI added that for this, there was the need to “confront and overcome the deep-rooted patriarchal customs that continue to deny girls their rightful place”.
Speaking on the occasion, the lone woman judge of the Supreme Court, Justice B V Nagarathna, said, “It is alarming to note that with the advent of digital technologies, novel ways in which such violence may be perpetrated against young girls are ever-evolving.”
“A young girl in India can be said to be a truly equal citizen only when she can freely aspire to do anything that her male counterpart does and receive the same quality of support and resources to do so, facing no barriers specific to her because of her gender…She should not merely survive but actively thrive,” she stated.
‘First barrier: being born’
Justice Nagarathna said that “the first barrier that a girl child in India faces is being born at all!” She pointed out that the country’s Child Sex Ratio in the 0-6 years age group “has only seen marginal improvement, going from 914 girls per 1000 boys in the 2011 Census to 929 girls per 1000 boys in the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5).”
On the importance of nutrition for the girl child, she said that according to the survey, “36 per cent of surveyed children were stunted or short for their age, 19 per cent are wasted or thin for their height, 32 per cent are underweight and 3 per centare overweight” and that “a whopping 59 per cent of girls aged 15 – 19 were found to be anaemic.”
Justice Nagarathna said that on child marriages, the survey shows that it “has steadily declined: from 47 per cent in NFHS-3 (2005–06), to 27 per cent in NFHS-4 (2015–16) and further down to 23 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019–21),” thanks to a combination of policy efforts and community engagement.
NFHS-5 also shows that school attendance for young girls between the ages of 15-17 has improved significantly – a jump from 56 per cent to 77 per cent. “However, the pursuit of education after the secondary level by young women and girls is still frustrated by high dropout rates,” she added.
Addressing the gathering, Supreme Court judge Justice J B Pardiwala said that protecting the girl child means ensuring every girl has the right to live, learn and grow with equality, free from harm, discrimination and violence, such as female foeticide and child marriage. “It involves providing equal access to education, healthcare and resources, promoting her value in families and society and empowering her to make informed choices and reach her full potential as a respected individual and contributing member of the community,” he added.
