The law is not static but rather dynamic and responding to changing times. Having stringent laws isn’t enough. Legal dissemination is need of the society. And society must be informed of the new legislations and amendments to the existing laws. Awareness of legal education informs public of their rights and duties. To address this gap, the Bhutan National Legal Institute in collaboration with Punakha District Court has conducted one-day legal awareness workshop on “New Legislations and Amended Laws” for the Gups of Punakha Dzongkhag today.
The workshop was aimed at creating awareness about the Civil and Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Act of Bhutan 2021, and Penal Code (Amendment) Act of Bhutan 2021, with special focus on trafficking in persons, measures to combat the increasing cases of violence against women and children and teenage pregnancy. The protection and safety of the children is the prime concerns today and our trepidations must translate into action. Legal awareness can be a significant tool for combating violence against women and children which, in turn, can help the Gups to create awareness to the public, parents, guardians, and teachers and students in their respective Gewog.
The participants were also explained about the process as to how mediation service can be availed from the Court-Annexed Mediation Unit (CAMU) established in 2019 across the courts in the country. The CAMU was institutionalized with the objective to enhance access to justice and promote peace and stability in the community. Eleven Gups and a legal officer from the Dzongkhag have attended the workshop.