In response to a recent sexual assault incident involving two minor girls at a school in Badlapur, Maharashtra, the Women and Child Development (WCD) department has announced new measures to enhance child safety. The initiative includes rolling out an age-appropriate curriculum across schools, addressing topics such as safe and unsafe touch, sex education, child rights, duties, and online abuse. This initiative is part of the Saksham Balak Abhiyan (SBA) program, which aims to empower children by educating them about their rights, providing clear avenues for help, and creating safer school environments.
Additionally, the Maharashtra government has mandated that both state and private schools hire female support staff for children up to age 6 and implement mandatory CCTV surveillance.
Prashant Narnaware, Commissioner of Maharashtra Women and Child Development, stated that monitoring schools to implement these preventive measures is now a top priority. “We have formed a committee with members from WCD, the education department, and SCERT to oversee the preventive measures adopted by schools. This committee will provide age-appropriate training and materials, including booklets and videos, on topics such as child rights, sexual abuse, and safe and unsafe touch,” Narnaware told Education Times. He also noted that the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and District Child Protection Cell (DCPC) will conduct unannounced inspections to ensure compliance and enhance child safety.
Over the past 11 months, the WCD has intensified efforts to promote the child helpline number 1098, offering support to distressed children and guiding them about their rights. “We have received 137,000 calls from victims and their families. Of these, 8,482 calls required rescue operations or police intervention,” Narnaware reported.
Focus on Awareness and Education
The new curriculum will emphasize lessons on safe and unsafe touch, particularly aimed at primary school children. “These lessons will be child-friendly, incorporating animated videos and interactive activities,” Narnaware added.
Prita Jha, President of the Peace and Equality Cell, an NGO based in Ahmedabad, highlights the importance of raising awareness about sexual assault and children’s constitutional rights. “Our workshops for teachers cover sensitive topics such as the legal age for marriage, the POCSO Act’s age of consent, and the legal definition of a child,” Jha explained. She noted that such education helps children discuss their bodies and rights more openly.
Jha also shared that her NGO began teaching these topics in rural schools three years ago. Initially, there was significant discomfort in discussing sexual assault, but after two years, children have become more open about their experiences and understand their rights better.
Parul Chandra, headmistress of Prathmik Vidyalaya in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, acknowledges the effectiveness of these sessions but also notes their limitations. “While sessions on safe and unsafe touch are effective in schools, their impact often does not extend beyond the school environment. In rural areas, the external environment can be quite different from what is taught in schools. We need to build a culture where children feel safe to discuss these issues both in and out of the classroom,” Chandra said.