EFFECTIVENESS OF LAWS IN PROTECTING CHILD RIGHTS AGAINST PORNOGRAPHIC EXPLOITATION IN INDIA

ABSTRACT: This research paper examines the effectiveness of Indian laws in protecting child rights against pornographic exploitation addressing both the achievements and challenges facing the country today. With children constituting over 40% of India's population safeguarding them from abuseespecially in the rapidly growing digital environmentis a critical priority. India has built a robust legal framework including constitutional provisions, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Information Technology Act and supportive roles from bodies like the National and State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights. The study explores definitions of key terms such as "child pornography" and "child sexual abuse material (CSAM)," and identifies various forms of exploitation: online, offline, commercial and non-commercial.Drawing on recent data from the National Crime Records Bureau and other Indian reports, the research highlights alarming trendssuch as a 400% rise in cyber-related child pornography cases in the past decade and over 64,000 cases of child sexual abuse reported in 2022 alone. The devastating psychological, social, and physical impacts on victims are discussed, along with the support gaps that often worsen the trauma. The effectiveness of legal measures is assessed by analyzing the strengths of statutes, the adaptability of India to international agreements like the UNCRC and landmark judicial interpretations, but the study finds significant limitations.