Over 100 students take part in discussions on child marriages, sexual abuse

Members of school Bala Panchayats discussed critical issues, including child marriage, drug and sexual abuse, school dropouts, and girl child literacy, and other child-related issues during a recent interface.

More than 100 students discussed on the violation of child rights, POCSO Act, good and bad touches, and other topics during a meeting organised by Child Rights Advocacy Foundation (CRAF), an NGO, here on Saturday.

Officials of the Women Development and Child Welfare Department (WD&CW), Child Welfare Committee, and District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) discussed on the strategies to prevent child-related issues.

“We formed a Bala Panchayat and meet frequently. Members of the panchayat discuss on various issues in schools, including minor marriages, on touches and the amenities in education institutions,” said a Bala Panchayat member Lakhmi of Surampalem village in Krishna district.

Bala Panchayat members of Savarigudem, Kondapavuluru, Gannavaram, YSR Colony and other villages participated in the programme.

Krishna district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Chairperson K. Suvartha explained a few case studies and enlightened the students about their rights. She appreciated the Bala Panchayat members for solving the problems at the village-level itself.

CRAF State programme director P. Francis Thambi said Bala Panchayats were formed in Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur and West Godavari districts. “We conduct debates and interactions with officers of WD&CW, CWC, Labour and other departments officers on child labour, trafficking, sexual harassment and other topics,” Mr. Francis Thambi said.

After reporting issues in their villages, children submitted their findings to WD&CW officer Ch. Sai Durga and Krishna District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) B. Kishore, both of whom promised to address the concerns.