Child Protection Workforce Capacity Building

to End the Child Sexual Abuse in India

REPORT ON
District Level Stakeholder’s Convergence Meeting on Prevention
of Child Sexual Abuse and implementation of POCSO Act &JJ
Act
Place : Conference Hall of Press Club, Phulbani, Kandhamal district
Date: 28. 03. 2021

Meeting Organized by: PECUC, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

In cooperation with: SAHARA, Kandhamal
Supported by: World Vision Germany, World Vision India and
BMZ
Background of the Training
A child continues to be considered as one of the most vulnerable sections of society. In
bringing substantive change in the lives of the children it is essential for a multi-stakeholder
approach. There is a need for greater coordination among the Government, Civil Society
Organisations, and Community leaders ensuring Child Rights. To initiate such synergy which
is ultimately aimed towards benefitting children and keeping them safe, a District level
Stakeholders' Consultation has been planned to involve child protection stakeholders to
have a meaningful dialogue to develop comprehensive insight and deliberations upon Child
Rights and Protection situations in the area.
Under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, every State
Government shall constitute a Child Protection Society for the State and Child Protection
Unit for every District, consisting of such officers and other employees as may be appointed
by that government, to take up matters relating to children to ensure the implementation of
this Act.

Under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) the role of District Level Stakeholders'
has been defined to ensure effective implementation of the JJ Act and POCSO Act at the
various level by supporting the creation of adequate infrastructures, such as setting up
Boards, Committees, Special Juvenile Police Units and home in each district. The role of
district-level officials is to create awareness on the implementation of Acts, identification of
families at risk and children in need of care and protection, as well as monitor, networking
and coordinating with all government departments to build inter-sectoral linkages on child
protection issues, including departments of Health, Education, social welfare, urban
development, police, CWC, JJB, Judiciary, ICDS, and Childline.

District-level officials from all the line departments are responsible for providing support to
the children at the block, panchayat, and Village levels through forming committees at
various levels. They will also be responsible for monitoring, allocating budget for the
vulnerable children in their respective jurisdictions. At the same time, it is their responsibility
of DCPU to organize a quarterly meeting with all stakeholders at the district level.

The District Child Protection Society and District Child Protection Unit will coordinate at the
district level for child protection at the State-Level Child Protection Unit for better
coordination and financial inclusion.

Objectives
 To create a platform for multiple stakeholders, like to deliberate on the child rights
and protection situation in the district.
 To understand the situation or stocktaking of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation.
 To ensure effective implementation of the POCSO Act and the JJ Act.
 Convergence and coordination with all line departments to build inter-sectoral
linkages on child protection issues.
 Monitoring and reporting of child rights violation cases and refer them to the
appropriate authorities

The DLCP Unit will ensure effective implementation of the Act at district or city levels by
supporting the creation of adequate infrastructures, such as setting up Boards, committees,
Special Juvenile Police Units, and Homes in each district.
Organizing a quarterly meeting with all stakeholders at district level including Police, CWC,
JJB, Childline, Specialised Adoption Agencies Incharges of homes, NGOs, SCPS, SARA
and DLSA, and other line departments i.e. Education, Health, ICDS, Rural Development,
Police, ICDS, PRI, Urban Development, etc. The DLCPC will also take a periodic report from
BLCPCs, submit these reports to DCPS along with the action taken report.
Expected outcome:

A robust safety net for children will be created by

1.Gathering input from stakeholders
2.Including stakeholders in decision making
3.Giving feedback to stakeholders
4.Contineous communication
5.Practicing true partnership

They will be able to identify factors responsible for violation of child rights, gender
discrimination, child sexual abuse, child marriage etc and take appropriate measures to
mitigate these issues.

Session Plan and Training Hours

The session Plan was developed looking at the participants' acceptance and the
methodology was participatory which was appropriate to the local context. The training was
conducted as per the Session Plan agreed to have uniformity in the training of the District
Level Stakeholders. Care was taken to conduct the training sessions in participants' friendly
languages that included English, Hindi, Odia, and also the local spoken language. The one-
day long training program was designed for six training hours. Organizers ensured break for
the refreshment of participants, resource persons, and guests as per the plan.
{Details attached as Annexure I}

 Participants
As per plan Government Officials from Health, WCD, Education, labour & employment,
Judiciary, NGO and SHG federation leaders from the District were invited to participate in
the Meeting. There were -----no.of participants in total attended the meeting.

Discussions and Training Activities

According to data by the National Crime Record Bureau, a total of 109 children were
sexually abused every day in India in 2018, which showed a 22 percent jump in such cases
from the previous year. 32,608 cases were reported under POCSO in 2017, increasing to
39,827 cases in 2018. As many as 21,605 child rapes were recorded in 2018 which included
21,401 rapes of girls and 204 of boys.
Any person (including the child) who has an apprehension that an offense under the POCSO
Act is likely to be committed or has knowledge that an offense has been committed has a
mandatory obligation to report the matter. An express obligation has also been vested upon
media personnel, the staff of hotels, lodges, hospitals, clubs, studios, or photographic
facilities, to report a case if they come across materials or objects that are sexually
exploitative of children. Failure to report is punishable with imprisonment of up to six months
or fine or both. This penalty is, however, not applicable to a child.
A case must be reported to the Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) or the local police. The
police or the SJPU must then record the report in writing, ascribe an entry number, read the
report over to the informant for verification, and enter it in a book. An FIR must be registered
and its copy must be handed to the informant free of charge. If a case is reported by a child,
it must be recorded verbatim and in simple language so that the child understands what is
being recorded. If it is being recorded in a language that the child does not understand, a
qualified translator or interpreter must be provided to the child.

The Meeting started with formal welcome address by Mr. Dharmendra Mallick, point person
and organizer from SAHARA followed by objective sharing. After self-introduction Chief
Guest Mr. Sukant Nayak shared his experience in handling child welfare activities in the
District. He said that this training will help understand different forms of child protection
mechanisms to safe-guard the rights of children and expressed his happiness over
participation of key stakeholders, in this important meeting as they play a crucial role in child
wellbeing. Guest of Honour ,Mr. Bijoy Krushna Pattnayak said that we should try to provide
holistic prevention and response to the protection issues experienced by children in day to
day life. We need to work in partnership with children, their families, local authorities to
strengthen child protection mechanism. He also shared in nut cell the activities undertaken
by health department for wellbeing of children. He also gave the information on the activities
of DCPU and expected that this program will help in understanding the 'Basics on Child
Protection' for all interested people particularly working in the field of Child Rights as well as
for other enlightened people .
The status of vulnerable children and their needs assessment are as follows:

 Identify the children at risk of abuse, neglect and exploitation

 Take remedial action for the victim of abuse, neglect and exploitation
 Case review-regularly collect the information
 Linkage with services: ensure that family avail services
 Taking and follow up of cases.

The POCSO Act, 2012 defines a child as any person below the age of 18 years and protects all
children from sexual abuse. It also intends to protect the child through all stages of the judicial
process and gives paramount importance to the principle of the best interest of the child.
After tea break, Resource person discussed on POSCO Act and JJ Act followed by an open
house discussion on Challenges and Recommendations with reference to child rights and
child protection .The discussion points were as follows:
The discussion points were as follows:

 As per the National Policy for children the “safety and security of all children is
integral to their well-being and children are to be protected from all forms of harm,
abuse, neglect, violence, maltreatment and exploitation in all settings including care
institutions, schools, hospitals, crèches, families and communities.

 The State shall protect all children from all forms of violence and abuse, harm,
neglect, stigma, discrimination, deprivation, exploitation including economic
exploitation and sexual exploitation, abandonment, separation, abduction, sale or
trafficking for any purpose or in any form, pornography, alcohol and substance
abuse, or any other activity that takes undue advantage of them, or harms their
personhood or affects their development.
  Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: The law deals with two
categories of children: “those who are in conflict with the law (CICL), and those who
need care and protection (CNCP). A “child” is defined under the act as “a person who
has not completed eighteen years of age.” A “child in need of care and protection” is
defined as; who is found without any home, who is found working in contravention
of labor laws, is found begging, or living on the street, who resides with a person
who neglect and torture the child or mentally ill, missing or run-away child, who is at
risk of child marriage, who is found vulnerable and is likely to be inducted into drug
abuse or trafficking, who is victim of or affected by any armed conflict, civil unrest or
natural calamity.
 Role & responsibility of Child Welfare Committee, District Child Protection Unit, Child
Line.
 Role & responsibility of Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) to “coordinate and
function as a watch-dog for providing legal protection against all kinds of cruelty,
abuse and exploitation of children or juveniles.
 As per the Act, whoever, having the actual charge of, or control over, a child,
assaults, abandons, abuses, exposes or willfully neglects the child or causes or
procures the child to be assaulted, abandoned, abused, exposed or neglected in a
manner likely to cause such child unnecessary mental or physical suffering, shall be
punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with
fine of one lakh rupees or with both.

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, the law provides for relief
and rehabilitation of the child, as soon as the complaint is made to the Special Juvenile
Police Unit (SJPU) or to the local police. Immediate & adequate care and protection (such as
admitting the child into a shelter home or to the nearest hospital within twenty-four hours
of the report) are provided. The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) is also required to be
notified within 24 hours of recording the complaint. Under this Act, sexual assault to child is
crime punishable with a fine and a minimum term of imprisonment for 10 years, which can
be extended to life imprisonment.

Challenges and Recommendations: India is facing many social problems today among them
is the issue of child sexual abuse, which is widespread across the country and affecting
children of all ages. Although the state is required to give wide publicity to the POSCO Act,
the law is relatively unknown even to those who need to apply it. In spite of its high
prevalence, most of the violence done against children are often hidden, unseen or under
reported. In a conventional country like our sexuality is considered as a taboo, so discussing
sexuality and sexual abuse is unimaginable. Parents or guardians often do not have the
knowledge to safeguard their children either by to prevent abuse on their children. In such a
context, it is the responsibility of educating the children about sexual abuse or by being
watchful in order our education system to provide the basic knowledge to children about
how to identify unsafe touches and situations and also about self-defense. But only has
been made by our education system to address it.

The conviction rate is very less mostly because of misuse of the Act. Ultimately the success
or failure of the legislation for children is in the hands of investigating agencies who need to
frame only genuine cases without fear or favor.
Block Level Child Protection Committee:

Every Block shall have a Child Protection Committee under the Chairpersonship of the block
level elected Representative (Head of the Block Committee) with the Block Development
Officers as the member secretary to monitor the child protection services at block level.
a. It will coordinate with Panchayat Level Child Protection Committees to address child
protection issues at their respective areas.
b. Create awareness on child protection issues.
c. Every member of BLCPC shall act as a facilitator for issues related to Protection of Child
Rights at block level.
d. The committee shall ensure that the Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP)
must reach to Child Welfare Committee.
e. Convergence with other existing structures at the community level for effective
implementation of ICPS.
Formation of village/Ward level Child Protection Committee

 Identity purpose and role of the Committee

 Develop clear explicit goals
 Team membership
 Establish rules for carrying out duties

Meeting output/outcome
The participants acquired in depth knowledge on strengthening child protection systems It
became clear that the issue needs to be addressed more systematically. It was a wonderful
experience for the participants to learn from each other. The team had significant
interaction with individuals with deep commitment and strong background in child
protection. They know how to report child abuse and neglect. The task for all of them who
are dedicated to making their place safer for children is to use their skills, work together and
offer an accountable, consistent and transparent child protection service. All of them are
committed to work to promote and protect the child’s welfare.

Reporting by DCPU to SCPS

 Annual Action Plan to State Child Protection Society or State Level concerned
duty-bearers.
 The half-yearly progress report should be sent to DCPS
 The reporting format shall be developed by DCPS
Discussion on working in a convergence approach
 Meeting Minute reports/reporting to authority and linkage with a higher level
 Protection Risks/Incidents/Vulnerability Matrix (for CPCs)
Role of different referral bodies: Childline, Child Welfare Committee, Juvenile Justice Board,
DCPS, SCPS, Child Welfare Officer (Police Station), NGOs/CSOs and Panchayat Office
Evaluation and Way Forward
Pre-assessment and post-assessment format with a set of questions was shared with the
participants to assess if the discussion has reached to the participants as per plan and also
suggestions for further action, based on which it has been resolved for a District level
consultation in each quarter to assess the development as per the training objective by all
the stakeholders in action.

 Quarterly meeting of DLCPC

 Convergence Meeting of all the line departments, Child Protection agenda to be
incorporated in the district level meeting.
 The DLCPC shall submit the Annual Action Plan along with financial support required
for the children.
 The additional fund for supporting DLCPC should be taken by the competent
authority as per the state government guideline.

 District level point for conducting training programme on POCSO Act and JJ Act

 Monitoring mechanism and standard Reporting format finalization

Annexure: Training Agenda

Time Topic Content Resource Person
10.00- Registration
10.15
10-15- Opening Session Introduction, Opening Mr Dharmendra
11.00 remarks by guest speaker, Mallick
purpose sharing

11.00- Understanding the *Presentation by the block Mr Sukant Nayak

12.00 Child Sexual Abuse level officials on Child RP
scenario and Child Protection, sexual abuse
Protection situation scenario in the block and
in the Block district

12.00- Mapping of *Causes, Capacities within Bijoy Krushna

12.30 Resources & Gap the department, collaboration
Analysis with other department, govt. Pattanayak
or line departments,
Solutions proposed, follow-up
action
12.30- Implementation of *Meeting Implementation of DCPO and CWC
1.00 Formats CPC *Vulnerable Children members can
Register present the formats
*Action Plan and gap analysis
*Reporting formats from
block to district

1.00- Concluding Session Open discussion and wind-up Mr Sukant Nayak

1.30 RP
1.30- Lunch Break
2.30