By PTI

Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. (Photo | YouTube)

UNITED NATIONS: The recent incidents of sexual assault on young girls in India and Pakistan are “heart breaking”, the spokesperson of the UN chief said, underlining that the world body is trying to address the issue through access to education and women empowerment.

He was responding to questions on recent incidents of rapes in India and Pakistan.

In India, an eight-month-old baby girl was raped last week by her 28-year-old cousin in New Delhi, a shocking incident that outraged the nation.

While in Pakistan last month, a seven-year-old girl was brutally raped and murdered allegedly by a serial killer, triggering a national outcry.

“I think these two cases you referred to are heartbreaking,” Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said while answering a question on UN’s advice for the two countries on this “vicious cycle”.

“What is clear is that no country on this planet is immune from the scourge of violence against women, violence against girls. We see it in all country, north, south, east and west,” Dujarric said.

Through various programmes, through UN-Women, UNFPA [United Nations Population Fund], UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund] and others, the UN is working with governments to try to get messages through to communities to respecting girls, to respecting women, he said.

“It’s about equal rights. It’s about access to health.

It’s about access to education. It’s about empowerment of women. Through a number of its development programmes, the UN is trying to face the issue,” said the spokesperson of the UN Secretary General.

Source,The Indian Express, Published: 02nd February 2018

Teen raped during Padmaavat show at cinema hall in India

Monitoring Desk

According to Times of India , a 19-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her boyfriend at a cinema hall in Secunderabad while Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Padmaavat’ movie was being screened.

The victim met the culprit on Facebook. Though the incident happened three days ago, it came to light on Thursday when police arrested the offender and sent him to judicial remand. Police are mulling to initiate legal action against the cinema hall management.

The culprit was identified as 23-year-old Kandakatla Bikshapathi, an earth mover driver from Jangaon district. The 19-year-old victim came in contact with Bikshapathi on Facebook about two months ago and they became friends. About 20 days ago, Bikshapathi and the teenager met at Swathi Hotel near Secunderabad railway station and went to his sister’s house at Jagathgirigutta.

At 11am on January 21, he again came to Hyderabad and asked the victim to meet him at Swathi Hotel. On the same day, they went to Indira Park and spent time there till 1.45 pm.

Later, they went to Prashant theatre in Secunderabad to watch ‘Padmaavat’ movie. “While the movie was in progress, he raped the victim as nearby seats were empty,” Market inspector M Mattaiah said. Based on a complaint lodged by the victim, police have registered a rape case under Section 376 of the IPC. He was arrested on January 31 and remanded to judicial custody on February 1. “We will initiate legal action against the theater management for negligence,” the inspector added.

Source,The Nation, February 02, 2018