PANAJI
Citing recent incidents of children being sexually abused, the Goa State Commission for Protection of Children's Rights (GSCPCR) has asked Goa's Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel to formulate a policy for protecting the minors in private coaching centres and clubs providing recreational coaching.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary, the chairperson of the Child Rights body Peter Borges has recommended that the State government also identify such centres and work out a mechanism to have them registered and monitored.
Borges said, at least five cases have been reported this year of child sexual abuse in private coaching centres which offer sports-related training and activity and none were registered under any regulatory body.
Many of these training centres are found to be located in homes of the coaches and the alleged cases of abuse have occured in such domestic premises of the coaches, he said.
“There are no set minimum standards with regard to quality of training, qualification of the trainer, maintenance of records as well as the fees charged," Borges noted in his letter to Goel.
He said, safeguarding and protecting the child in sports has for long been given too little attention on most common assumptions that it does not happen or is an isolated incident.
"Every day children participate in sports. The activities may be social or competitive in schools, clubs and other private spaces. An enormous number of staff, parents and volunteers support, train and encourage children at all levels,” Borges said, adding that the government identify and bring under some regulatory body all these clubs and private coaching institutes offering sports-related training in Goa.
Meanwhile in another letter to the Director of Municipal Administration, Borges has noted that a rapid survey conducted by the Commission, children's parks in the jurisdiction of civic bodies are in a "sad state".
Maintenance besides safety and security issues are of concern and it is alarming to note that large number of villages and municipalities exist with no such facilities for children at all, the Commission said.
The rights of children to get a congenial atmosphere in these parks befitting their age and dignity is violated, it said, and requested the DMA to to send an Action Taken Report (ATR) within four weeks on the issue.
A detailed report of its surveys across the State has been enclosed including recommendations that every civic body and panchayat develop parks for the benefit of children.
It has sought a plan in this respect which will also envisage maintenance and security measures including recommending CCTV cameras to be installed in parks to prevent crimes and ensure safety.
