Kaval Plus project (Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse and Children in Need of Care and Protection)

Children are gems that need to be nurtured, mentored, and protected from all sorts of violence, exploitation and abuse. Ensuring physical, mental, emotional and intellectual development is key to their holistic growth and development. However, child sexual abuse and neglect are major concerns affecting one out of eight children globally and having a profound emotional and physical impact on children regardless of age when the trauma occurs, leading to consequences like anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anti-social behaviour and suicide. The international community has acknowledged the urgent need to do more to protect children in the vulnerable scenario. India ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992 and has enacted several lews to stop abuse and violence against children. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN Member States in 2015 represent the aspiration of the global community that necessitates achieving progress across social, economic, and environmental pillars. Goal 16 of SDG – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions highlights ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

India is home to 472 million children (39% of the national population) in the age category 9–18, years of which a major part, around 158 million, consists of children in the age group of 0–6 years (2011 Census). An analysis of data on child abuse and exploitation in the state of Kerala in the past five years has shown an upward trend. To prevent the incidence of child abuse and exploitation, the Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD), Government of Kerala, in December 2020, launched an innovative programme named KAVAL PLUS focusing on children in need of care and protection (CNCP) and the survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). Both these projects work at the individual and families by extending psychosocial care & support services and other environmental modifications interventions such as; individual and family counselling, parent management training, life skill training, advocacy, crisis intervention for rehabilitating and reintegrating children back to family and to the society at large. The programme adopts a multisectoral partnership approach wherein stakeholders working with children in government as well as in the non-governmental sectors join hands to play a significant role in supporting vulnerable children. We are partnering with the Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD), Govt. of Kerala, Child Welfare Committee (CWC), District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Thiruvananthapuram and Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) for this noble cause.