Safeguarding Children via Actions Ranging from Micro to Macro: An Example of a Multistakeholder Initiative

A Civic Police deputed for the protection of the school-going children on the forest road

The children residing in the villages of Katapahari, Dudhekandor, Choubatta, and Beledanga, which are enveloped by forest, must travel a distance of 3 km to reach Ganpur High School. This journey includes navigating a 2.5 km dirt road that traverses the forest. Unfortunately, this road is fraught with daily incidents of theft and harassment. Consequently, the children are apprehensive about attending school, leading many to dropped out. In the absence of civic police, a representative from each village has been escorting the children to and from school. Community members such as Hiramoni, Santosh, Sudhir, Gopal, Uttam, and Ravi were actively seeking solutions to these persistent issues. Subsequently, the CSRA, along with these villages, conducted a participatory rural appraisal (PRA) followed by the development of micro plans under “Sashaktikaran” project. During discussions regarding social issues, concerns about the safety of children travelling to school were highlighted by the children of respective villages. The villagers underscored the necessity for a civic police presence on the forest road. They proposed that, due to a common problem, the people of four villages collectivized and submitted a formal complaint to the police station. This complaint was drafted and presented first to the Panchayat Prodhan of the Gram Panchayat and then to the female member of the Panchayat Samiti, Tagor Mudi, and subsequently at the police station. After assessing the gravity of the incidents, a meeting was convened at the Katapahari football ground, involving police officials and the four villages. It was resolved that a civic police officer would be designated to patrol the area, ensuring the safe passage of children to and from school. Following this, civic police began regular monitoring of the forest region. Girls such as Pooja, Payel, Isha, and Mahasaya expressed that they previously feared attending school, but that fear has since dissipated, allowing them to attend regularly. The parents reported that they work throughout the day and now feel reassured and content regarding their children's safety. They are hopeful that this arrangement will persist and that the area will remain free from violence. Sushil, a parent from Dudhekandor, recognised that the problem had been jointly tackled by all four villages, as child protection had been integrated into the micro plans as part of a community initiative. The CSRA assisted villagers in evaluating, analysing, and strategising their concerns at a micro level; consequently, the issue of school-going children was added to their agenda.