Amnesty International India Condemns Rape of Nine Year old and Calls on the Government to Take Immediate Action

(18 July 2008): On 17th July, 2008 a nine year old girl was raped by a young man inside the premises of a primary school run by the MCD at Ashok Vihar in New Delhi. Amnesty International India condemns and calls on the Government to take immediate action on the heinous act of crime committed against a nine year old school girl inside the premises of a primary MCD school at Ashok Vihar. AII also condemns the MCD School which has failed to protect and provide a safe environment to the girl. The failure of the MCD School in overlooking the security of the girl points to the lapse of the school authorities to provide secure premises. This incident has made Amnesty International India extremely concerned for the safety of girls since this is not an isolated case but a number of such incidents have been taking place in schools.

As per Amnesty International’s Safe School campaign, Amnesty International India demands for:

• a prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation
• calls for immediate action against the perpetrators and
• to ensure adequate compensation is provided to support and counseling is available to the girl.

Amnesty International’s Safe School campaign demands that all schools must have a provision for complaint register, monitoring cells and support system so that no such incidents take place in schools. AII’s campaign on Safe Schools for Girls also calls on the Government and the State to make every school safe for girls from such incidents. An education in a safe environment is the human right of every girl. There can be no compromise in challenging violence against children, particularly girls.

Therefore, Amnesty International India urges the Chief Minister of Delhi, The Commissioner of Police, New Delhi and the Chairperson, Delhi Commission for Women, New Delhi to immediately look into the matter and take appropriate action.