Village Child Protection Committee

VCPC meetings and Awareness Sessions

Mr. Ratheesh handling the session

Why Child Need Special Attention??

• Children are more vulnerable than adults, to the conditions under which they live.
•  They are more affected than any other age group by the actions and inaction of governments and society.
• In most societies, including ours, views persist that children are their parents’ property, or are adults in the making, or are not yet ready to contribute to society.
• Children have no votes or political influence and little economic power. Too often, their voices are not heard.
• Children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

The Gram Panchayats need to play a crucial role to guide and support the vulnerable families for the due care of children, to make the various programs for children effective and to solve local problems. Child  Friendly Panchayats can help children realize their potential. The Constitution of India guarantees Fundamental Rights to all children of the country belonging to every caste, community or religion on equal basis, whether they live in the cities or in villages. • To make sure that children enjoy these rights, it also provides that government makes special laws and schemes for them.

All the members of GP understand, implement, promote child friendly activities, develop action plans based on children’s issues, develop services for children based on these issues and improve them if these already exist.

CHILDLINE Trivandrum attended Village Child Protection Committee (VCPC) meeting at Pothencode Grama Panchayath on 17^th June, 2023. Sri T.R. Anilkumar, President, Pothencode panchayath presided over the meeting. Ward members, school authorities &counsellors, Police personnel, and youth members were participated the meeting.  The committee members discussed about the issues related children and they put forward some suggestions to protect children from crisis situation. VCPC committee adapted the practices of child friendly panchayath, in their panchayath as we mentioned in the last VCPC. They presented the ward level committee meeting reports and discussions.  An awareness session on Child Protective Mechanisms and Child Friendly Procedures for the VCPC Members was handled by Mr. Ratheesh S. The VCPC members prepared an action plan for the coming months.  CHILDLINE team assured all support for the future activities. Emergency numbers were provided to them and told them to display it in their visibility boards. Smt.Anitha P, Vice President welcomed the participants and Ms. Nishamol, community counselor delivered vote of thanks. Around 43 members were participated in the meeting and sessions.