Hyderabad, 3rd March 2025 – Teach for India, a leading Non-Profit Organization hosted a distinguished panel discussion on child safety, bringing together children, leading experts and advocates to share their insights on ensuring a secure and nurturing environment for children. The panel featured prominent voices in child protection including Mr. David Raj, Consultant, Child Protection, UNICEF, Ms. Chandana Maripally, State Coordinator, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Dr. Neha Sharma, Senior Manager, Arpan and a student from a school in Hyderabad.
This event is part of Teach For India’s ongoing commitment to fostering educational equity and child protection. By bringing together experts, organizations, and young voices, the event seeked to create awareness, encourage collaboration, and advocate for stronger child safety measures in communities across India.
Dr. Neha Sharma, Senior Manager, Content and Curriculum, Arpan, “Understanding the dynamics of abuse, the sensitivity of the issue of child safety comes to light. It is not easy to define. The trauma from abuse is inter-generational. It passes from one generation to another. It is also important to initiative the dialogue of child safety with your children.”
Ms. Sarita (Name changed), Grade 6 student, shared the vital perspective of a child. She said, “Children face several challenges, including corporal punishment, bullying at school, sexual abuse, early marriage, cyber-bullying and discrimination at home. At the end of the day, we are still children, and handling all of this is too much. Boys also face problems, often dropping out of schools early to work and support their families. Domestic violence is also an issue, and children tend to imitate the behaviours they witness at home. We would like to request adults to listen to us, trust us and help us to feel safer and for us to also act responsibly”.
In addition to the panel discussion, the event also spotlighted the impactful work of key organizations dedicated to child safety and development, including MV Foundation, Dream a Dream, Arpan, and the Global Centre for the Development of the Whole Child. The showcases from these organisation has ignited inspiration to audience and provided them with actional steps towards tackling child safety one step at a time.
Ms. Chandana Maripally, State Coordinator, Bachpan Bachao Andolan Telangana, shared a personal anecdote “Growing up in a conservative town, early marriage among peers was a common reality. It took a lot of courage and support to break that cycle. It is crucial for stakeholders in Child Safety to come together, fostering collaboration and networking to create a child-friendly Hyderabad, a child-friendly Telangana, and a safer environment for children across the country and the world. We must first acknowledge the pain to truly understand that we are working to change a child’s life.
Vinathi Sureddy, Manager, Government Relations, Teach for India, highlighted the significance of such discussions, stating, “At Teach For India, we believe that every child deserves a safe and nurturing environment to grow, learn, and thrive. Creating a safe atmosphere for our children is a shared responsibility. We must remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding their rights and well-being. This event aims to drive meaningful conversations that lead to actionable change.”