Child safety gets handbook

Training for VCPC members to begin soon

With a view to expanding the protective net for children and establishing a strong system in villages that can prevent violence against them, a handbook has been launched by the women and child welfare minister Satyavathi Rathod.

The handbook will be useful for the village child protection committee (VCPC) members in 12,769 panchayats across Telangana. The 12,769 VCPCS will be revived and some of them will be newly formed. Over 2 lakh copies are printed. Brochures on children’s issues and rights were also printed in Telugu, Urdu and English.

“Every child matters to the Telangana government. The government is providing many facilities at Anganwadi centres and is ensuring their healthy growth. Bala Rakshak vehicles have been provided across districts for children requiring care and protection,” said the minister.

A three-month training will begin for VCPC members soon. “Those coming from districts will be trained at the state level and they will go back and train members at mandal level,” said Telangana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Srinivasa Rao. The trainees include sarpanches, school teachers, Asha workers and villagers.

The handbook has been launched to reach out to new gram panchayats and sarpanches. “We stop a lot of child marriages. It is better to prevent them even before the minimal preparations begin. VCPCS can prevent cases like child abuse, child trafficking, and rape when all the stake holders are vigilant and they know what action should be taken immediately,” said D. Divya, commissioner, WD&CW department.

Each panel will also have two child members, a parent and a youth association member.