New Delhi, March 13:
Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan inaugurated a National Dialogue on Online Crimes Against Women and Children (OCWC) in New Delhi, emphasizing the need for stronger institutional mechanisms to address cyber offences targeting vulnerable groups.
The event was organised by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It brought together law enforcement agencies, technology companies, policymakers, and civil society stakeholders to discuss coordinated strategies to tackle the growing threat of online crimes.
Call for specialized units and faster response
Addressing the gathering, Govind Mohan urged states and Union Territories to establish strong, specialised cybercrime units and coordinated response mechanisms. These systems should ensure:
timely investigation of cyber offences
effective support for victims
swift legal action against perpetrators
He stressed that as India’s digital ecosystem expands rapidly, cyber threats targeting women and children are becoming increasingly complex and require institutional capacity building at the state level.
Focus on coordinated national strategy
The national dialogue served as a platform for knowledge exchange, sharing best practices, and developing a coordinated national strategy to address evolving cybercrime challenges in the digital environment.
The initiative aligns with the broader vision of the Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to create a safe and secure digital environment for women and children.
Master Trainers Induction Programme launched
During the event, the government also launched a Master Trainers Induction Programme on online crimes against women and children for states and Union Territories.
The programme aims to create a national pool of trained officers who will:
lead capacity-building initiatives in their respective states
train law enforcement personnel at state and district levels
strengthen investigative techniques and digital forensics capabilities
Selected officers will be equipped with specialized knowledge, cyber investigation skills, and best practices to deal with emerging threats targeting women and children online.
Key issues discussed
Participants deliberated on several critical aspects, including:
emerging trends and patterns in online crimes against women and children
strengthening investigative frameworks and digital forensic capabilities
improving victim support systems and reporting mechanisms
enhancing coordination with digital platforms for timely removal of harmful content
The dialogue witnessed participation from senior officers of state and UT law enforcement agencies, representatives from government ministries, social media intermediaries, internet service providers, academics, legal experts, civil society organizations, and student representatives.
Strengthening India’s cybercrime response
The initiative is expected to strengthen India’s national response framework against cybercrime, particularly crimes targeting women and children, by fostering stronger collaboration between governments, technology platforms, and law enforcement agencies.
