MARGAO: In a significant initiative to boost child protection in South Goa, the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) collaborated with the Office of the Superintendent of Police (SP), South Goa, to organise an interface meeting. This crucial meeting, held at the South Goa Police Headquarters, brought together various stakeholders committed to child welfare and safety.
A highlight of the meeting was the introduction of the newly recruited District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) team to the stakeholders. “This team is set to drive the child protection system in South Goa, marking a new era in safeguarding the rights and welfare of children in the district,” said GSCPCR Chairperson Peter F Borges.
Child Welfare Officers in South Goa’s police stations, in partnership with the DCPU, are to identify and map areas where children are vulnerable. The South Goa Police’s Prayas community policing programme will then be implemented in these identified areas.
“Today’s meeting reaffirms our commitment to child welfare in South Goa. We’re focusing on system strengthening, training enhancement, and ensuring comprehensive care and protection for every child, aiming to make South Goa a model district in child welfare,” said South Goa DySP Rajendra Prabhudessai.
The meeting, chaired by Borges, saw the presence of the Deputy SP (HQ), Rajendra Prabhudessai, Amruta Kamat, Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Pankaj Rane, Deputy Collector, Girish Sawant, Deputy Director of Child Welfare, Amanda Noronha, District Child Protection Officer (DCPO), and Sudiksha Naik, Police Inspector (PI), Women Police Station, Margao.
Representatives from Childline, the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), members of the Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU), Hospicio Hospital also participated in the meeting.
