Child Rights Panel Flags Inaction on Safety in Residential Schools

fast Summary

• The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights held a review meeting in Shivamogga on Tuesday, chaired by K.Naganna Gowda, and attended by district officers and commission members.
• Members expressed disappointment over the implementation of the karnataka State Child Protection Policy 2016, particularly regarding children’s safety in residential schools.
• A case involving alleged child sexual abuse at a hostel in Shivamogga was reviewed; officers failed to provide details on action taken against negligent staff members involved.
• Health Department officials lacked data concerning surprise inspections at scanning centers, stillbirths, immunization records for children above 10 years, among othre key metrics. Members criticized the lack of preparedness from various departments handling child-related duties under existing policies and laws such as the Protection of children against Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO).
• High-ranking district officials including Deputy Commissioner Gurudatt Hegde and zilla panchayat CEO N.Hemanth where present at the meeting.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The review meeting highlights critical gaps in implementing child protection laws and policies within Shivamogga district despite it being considered one of karnataka’s developed regions. Failures to address sexual abuse allegations or furnish relevant data signal systemic negligence across departments tasked with ensuring children’s welfare and rights under POCSO and state policy frameworks like Child Protection Policy 2016. such lapses undermine public trust in institutional accountability while risking further harm to vulnerable groups such as students within residential facilities.The commission’s strong critique may set a precedent for higher scrutiny across similar districts statewide-which could improve enforcement but will require sustained follow-ups post-meetings to drive actionable improvements across various sectors like health care provision or social welfare infrastructure.

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