Safe Childhood Campaign under way in schools

A Surakshith Bachpan Abhiyan (Safe Childhood Campaign), organised by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Mysuru, in accordance with the directions of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), is under way in schools and pre-university (PU) colleges across the district.

With the core theme, “Awareness, Safety and Protection — Every Child’s Right,” the six-day legal literacy campaign was launched on October 26 to reach all government, government-aided and private educational institutions in both urban and rural areas of the district.

The six-day intensive sensitisation programme which will conclude on October 31, is being led by judicial officers, with the support of designated resource persons, including a panel of advocates and members of the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System.

The key focus of the discussion was Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act , 2012 (POCSO Act) awareness, personal safety, prevention of sexual abuse, online safety, reporting and disclosure, child-friendly legal aid, child protection mechanisms and community awareness.

Sub-themes included My Childhood, My Rights, Know the Law, Protect Childhood, Safe Click, Safe Childhood, Speak, Tell, Protect, No Child Marriage, No Child Abuse, Aware Childhood and Empowered India

The awareness sessions are tailored to the age groups and understanding levels of children. For primary school students, the session’s focus was on good touch and bad touch, inappropriate physical contact and how to report such incidents.

Around 150 schools have been covered under the campaign. The awareness programmes are conducted between 9.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. Skits and marches have also been organised in schools as part of the campaign.

The programme also includes creating awareness about Child Helpline number 1098 and the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) helpline number 15100.

The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Mysuru, has prepared a schedule for Phase II of the year-round Child Safety Campaign, in accordance with the directions of the NALSA. The campaign will run from November 2026 to November 2027 and aims to cover all schools and pre-university (PU) colleges in the district.

With the aim of creating legal literacy, this campaign will be launched focusing on institutionalising child safety.

Legal Literacy Clubs will be formed in each school and will consist of two teachers formally designated as teachers-in-charge and trained by identified resource persons from legal and psychiatry field. Legal Literacy Clubs of participating school consists of two members from parents group also.

This year-long awareness drive will carry out continuous awareness programmes, support appropriate referrals and strengthen school-level mechanism for child protection.

The permanent display of child helpline and legal aid information, continued engagement with teachers and parents, periodic follow up and monitoring and reporting by Legal Service Authority will be part of the campaign.

DLSA, Mysuru is conducting this drive with the co-ordination of Special Juvenile Police Unit, Department of Education, Child welfare Committee and District Child Protection Unit.