Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy directed officials to prepare a comprehensive child online safety framework for Telangana to protect children from online risks and digital crimes. He issued the direction while speaking at the South Zone Regional Conference of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in Hyderabad.
Revanth Reddy said children were spending considerable time online but often lacked awareness of the dangers they could face. He said the rise in digital crimes had made child protection a shared responsibility.
The Chief Minister said the safety of women and children remained the first priority of his government. He also urged legal services institutions to provide free legal assistance to poor and vulnerable people.
Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, Revanth Reddy said he had viewed law not only as a profession but also as a tool for supporting the poor and vulnerable. He urged legal services institutions to work in the same spirit.
The Chief Minister said the state had established Bharosa centres to provide multiple services to victims at one location. He also said Hyderabad had the country’s first child-friendly court.
Child online safety framework to expand protection and legal awareness
Revanth Reddy said the proposed child online safety framework would strengthen protection for children across Telangana. He called for cooperation between the Telangana High Court and the Telangana State Legal Services Authority in preparing the framework.
He said the government would also work to expand legal services across all districts and down to the village level. The initiative would help children and other vulnerable groups access legal assistance closer to their communities.
The Women Safety Wing was conducting cyber awareness activities through SHE-Bharosa cyber labs and the CybHER app, Revanth Reddy said. These initiatives were helping train students as cyber ambassadors.
Through TGS-LSA, teachers were also helping children understand their legal rights. The Chief Minister urged parents and guardians to speak with children regularly and maintain a friendly relationship with them.
He asked families to stay aware of children’s online activities and provide appropriate guidance and care. He also urged people to remember 1930 for cybercrime complaints and 1098 for the child helpline.
Revanth Reddy said justice should involve more than punishing offenders. He said it should also restore a victim’s dignity and help a child recover the childhood lost due to abuse or crime.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the Telangana High Court and TGS-LSA would work together on the proposed framework. He said the state would expand legal services to the grassroots level across Telangana.