Workshop on FMA-India Child Protection Policy at SJTC-Lonavala

📅 November 21, 2015 • 📍 Lonavala

The two-day workshop on the Child Protection Policy (CPP) of FMA-India, held on November 21–22, 2015, at SJTC-Lonavala, began at 9:00 a.m. with Sr. Magdeline Sequeira introducing Fr. Joe Xavier SJ, Consultant to FMA-NDF, India. A PowerPoint presentation followed, providing eye-opening facts and figures on child abuse to the participants, who included Principals, Managers, and Sisters in schools within the Province. Fr. Joe lucidly explained the importance of procedures, systems, and mechanisms in a policy, referring to them as Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). He stressed the need to create a ‘child-friendly’ environment by ensuring a visible presence of information around communities. He highlighted the prime importance of maintaining documentation for child protection matters to ensure the safety of both the child and the institution, which projects a positive view of their concern for child protection. Keeping records of visitors was deemed imperative for security. He also highlighted the protection of women from sexual harassment as per the 1997 Vishaka Judgment. The workshop included group discussions on Relationship between our charism and rights of children’ and ‘child abuse cases’ the participants may have encountered. Fr. Joe presented the FMA-India CPP effectively, reviewing and revising key points and clarifying doubts. He pointed out that merely setting up a complaint box/mechanism is insufficient; a good counseling system for children is also needed, and anonymous complaints should not be ignored but kept in mind. He emphasized that child abuse cases are tried under the stringent POCSO Act of 2012. He suggested schools should also concentrate on various aspects of their activities, including safety during games, noting the danger of children playing football on concrete grounds. He advised modifying the Principal’s and Superior’s offices while maintaining security and privacy, such as using glass partitions, to send a positive signal regarding child protection and transparency. Mock situations helped participants learn much about managing child abuse complaints. Fr. Joe concluded by affirming that certain points of the Child Protection Policy could be adjusted to suit individual centers.