Participants during the sensitisation programme on School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) held at GHSS Medziphema, Chümoukedima. (Photo Courtesy: NECTAR)
Kohima, September 16 (MExN): Students, teachers and non-teaching staff in Lighthouse School Complexes (LSCs) and their hub schools across all 17 districts of Nagaland have undergone first-level sensitisation on School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV), with the programme concluding on September 15.
The sensitisation, conducted under the Nagaland Education Project-The Lighthouse (NECTAR), focused on prevention, reporting and response to violence, abuse and harassment in school environments.
Sessions covered safe and unsafe touch, consent, personal boundaries, privacy and confidentiality, non-discrimination, as well as the roles of students, teachers and parents in preventing and responding to SRGBV.
Participants were also sensitised to the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 and were also introduced to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act).
A key focus was on safe reporting mechanisms, including the Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM) Portal and complaint boxes available in LSCs and hub schools. Participants were encouraged to seek help from trusted adults and appropriate authorities when facing or witnessing violence, abuse or harassment.
The programmes were conducted in coordination with district-level LSC SRGBV Committees, comprising representatives from the district administration, Social Welfare, Police, Child Helpline, District Hub for Empowerment of Women, Sakhi One Stop Centres, students’ unions, school heads and teacher counsellors.
Resource persons emphasised child protection, gender equality, respect for diversity and non-discrimination, while stressing the need for adults to respond appropriately to cases of child sexual abuse and violence while protecting the identity of the child.
The participants and LSC SRGBV Committees across the districts highlighted the need for active participation of students, teachers, school authorities and communities in preventing and addressing school-related violence, informed a press release from the NECTAR.
