Govt plans to protect kids from sex abuse

In the wake of growing incidents of sexual abuse against children in schools, the Union HRD Ministry has started work on a preventive strategy.

It is part of an action plan discussed at a high-level meeting of various stakeholders, including officials from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Officials are in talks with NGOs and groups that work on children's issues to work on the strategy.

Officials plan to counsel children beyond the good touch, bad touch lessons. "Most schools already have counsellors, but children are not comfortable sharing their problems with them. Therefore we are also going to increase the role of parent-teacher associations," said a senior official.

Among the major initiatives discussed earlier by the high-level committee are establishing POCSO booths in each school equipped with the Childline helpline number (1098). A child can lodge complaints of any deviant sexual activity or any form of sexual harassment.

CHILDREN’S SAFETY

• Officials plan to counsel children beyond the good touch, bad touch lessons
   
• Establishing POCSO booths in each school