Mumbai: Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action (SNEHA) partnered with the Maharashtra government to launch a ward level Child Protection Committee in Mumbai’s M-East ward. The committe will enhance child safety and well-being by preventing abuse, ensuring timely interventions, and fostering a supportive ecosystem for children in need within the community. The NGO also plans to replicate the model alongside with the government across all the 24 wards in Mumbai.
Mumbai-based non-government organisation SNEHA along with the District Women and Child Development Office and two other NGOs recently launched a Ward Level Child Protection Committee (WLCPC) in Mumbai. Located in Ward No. 135 M-East of Mumbai, the committee will be covering the communities of Indira Nagar and Janta Nagar in Mandala, Mankhurd.
The committee has been formed in collaboration with the District Child Protection Unit under the guidance of the District Women and Child Development Officer, Mumbai Suburban District.
Aligning with the Government of Maharashtra Resolution (2014), the Child Protection Committee (CPC) will enhance child safety and well-being by setting clear objectives. This includes preventing abuse, ensuring timely interventions, and fostering a supportive ecosystem for children in need within the community.
The new committee was launched in the presence of District Child Protection Officer (DCPO), Ms. Meera Gudile, CDPO, Mr Haribhau Hake, District Women and Child Development Officer Mr. Sharad Kurhade from the District Women and Child Development Office.
Dr. Nayreen Daruwalla, programme director, SNEHA, said, “The overarching goal of the committee is to secure freedom from violence for children residing in urban settlements. We would like to emphasize on the critical need to create safe environments where children can thrive and grow without fear or threat.”
Smita Sequeira, associate programme director, prevention of violence against children, SNEHA, said, “Currently, there are several factors leading to violence against children including different forms of disciplining practices and cultural norms in relation to overt and covert forms of violence against children. We are striving to improve parent-child communications and tracking progress towards mitigating violence. Through this committee, we would like to strategize and enhance the overall safety and protection of vulnerable children in urban informal settings.”
Some of the objectives of the committee will include introducing Baal Sansad cabinet members to the WLCPC members and enhance child participation in the committee’s activities, instilling accountability among authorities for prioritizing children’s welfare and implementing effective interventions, developing and implementing strategies to enhance support for CPCs at the ward level and emphasizing child protection as a collective responsibility requiring combined action from all stakeholders.
For the initial action points, the new committee will work towards sustainable solutions for children in Ward No. 135 to address issues such as substance abuse, lack of gardens and playgrounds, lack of government schools as well as child safety and protection issues. The NGO and the Maharashtra government are also planning to replicate this model across all 15 wards in Mumbai in the coming years.
