Child protection committees will be formed in all 73 panchayats and 11 blocks in the district to intensify activities for the protection of children.
This was decided at a meeting of the district child protection monitoring committee recently.
The district panchayat president is the head and the district child protection officer, convener of this committee.
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As a first step, meetings will be held in all blocks and panchayats this month. The government had issued an order designating block panchayat presidents as heads of the block level committees and panchayat presidents as heads of panchayat level committees.
The committees will function with Child Development Project Officers as conveners at the block level and Integrated Child Development Scheme supervisors conveners at the panchayat level.
The block and panchayat committees will intervene in issues as varied as crimes against children, child marriages, problems of physically challenged children as well as those from financially and socially backward sections, child beggary, suicides, and other violations of their rights.
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A special scheme will be drawn up under the aegis of the District Child Protection Unit to prevent sexual abuse of children.
Programmes
The committee also decided to implement programmes to prevent suicides by children, implement the Pratibha Poshini programme in Rajaji Nagar,
conduct programmes for those working in the area of health, education, and for the police, give life skill training to children in Karimadom Colony, implement special programmes for HIV-affected children, and the Sanatha Balyam foster care programme.
It was also decided to extend the Our Responsibility to Children scheme in 15 more schools in the district.
District panchayat president V.K. Madhu, District Child Welfare Committee chairperson Fr. Joy James, District Child Protection Officer Subair K.K., Childline Director Fr. P.D. Thomas, councillor Akhil S.S., and legal-cum-probation officer Vishnu P.G. took part in the meeting.