The District Child Protection Society (DCPS) is taking the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) to schools, colleges and community for its effective implementation.
The ICPS of the Union Government aims to ensure that all children lead a protected life without being abused, trafficked, or turned into juvenile offenders. The DCPS has, since April, covered nearly 20 institutions, creating awareness on child abuse, child labour, child trafficking, and child marriage.
According to District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) R. Senthilkumar, the Society is conducting programmes, including seminars, rallies and street plays in rural residential areas and educational institutions to stress the need for protection of children.
“We are conducting these programmes in collaboration with other private and Government stakeholders such as the Department of Social Welfare, National Child Labour Project, Police, ChildLine, etc. Though various modes are used to make the children aware of their rights, the best way is to speak to them in an informal manner to make them understand easily,” Mr. Senthilkumar says.
While earlier the violations of child rights used to be redressed in the sections of the Indian Penal Code, the introduction of the ‘Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012’ is considered a significant breakthrough in ensuring child protection. Students of schools and colleges are briefed on the features of the Act and the means of redressal in case of violations, he adds.
Representatives of the schools and colleges say that the awareness programmes have had a positive effect on the students. It was only following the programme that many cases of abuse and even child marriages were reported and prevented. Students, teachers and responsible people from the community take the effort to contact one of the stakeholders to inform about such incidents.
The Society uses the Government grant of Rs. 6 lakh a year for this awareness activity. According to the DCPO, this amount is also used to conduct capacity building programmes for the stakeholders working in organisations, related to children and their protection, to keep them updated on the latest legislations and regulations pertaining to child protection.
The Society plans to continue the awareness activity to cover one college and one school every month. Students, upwards of Standard VI are covered under the programme. The awareness begins from teaching the basics of good / bad touch and extends to include specific legal provisions, which can be comprehended by students easily.
