The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in collaboration with the Kodagu district administration organized a district level conference in Madikeri on Friday to discuss key issues of child rights. The program was inaugurated by Smt. Shubha, Senior Civil Judge and Member Secretary, DLSA, Madikeri, in the presence of Shubhi Sharma, NCPCR representative; Venkatesh, Member, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights; S. Honnegowda, District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) and others. Ms. Shubhi Sharma in her keynote address emphasized the need for capacity building of district level functionaries, regular training and awareness programmes. She informed that in the last six to seven months, NCPCR has handled more than 32,445 complaints, rescued nearly 3,984 children and enabled the repatriation of about 2,000 children to child welfare institutions in their home districts. She highlighted initiatives on children’s mental health, protection of transgender children, safety of children in schools and NCPR’s ‘Bal Taskari Se Azadi 3.0’ campaign against child trafficking. She also called on schools to introduce a ‘Sugar Board’ initiative to promote healthy eating habits amid growing concerns about childhood obesity. Addressing the gathering, Smt. Shubha expressed concern over the rising cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO Act) and called for collective responsibility to protect children. She warned against excessive academic pressure and emphasized the need to develop each child’s unique talents. Discussions during the conference focused on challenges in implementing the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, the POCSO Act, school safety and mental health issues.
Published – 27 Feb 2026 20:24 IST
