Personal safety, health

Dr. Rizvi was speaking at a webinar on Thursday, on the personal safety and health of adolescents and the role of parents, teachers and society in helping them become responsible adults. The webinar was organised by the NGO Arpan, which works in the field of child health.

Soledad Herrero, Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF India, said the focus has been more on a legalistic and responsive approach, and less on prevention and changes in social behaviour.

“It is critical to provide the right protection programmes to adolescents as life skills are important for the children to become selfreliant and emotionally regulated humans who can make the right decisions,” she said.

Ms. Herrero said programmes for adolescents’ parents are important to ensure the family is well equipped and prepared to deal with their needs and questions, energy and excitement.

Professor Saroj Yadav, Dean (Academic), National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), spoke of the role teachers play in shaping adolescents’ lives. “Gone are the days when teachers thought they will be called out for discussing sensitive issues in schools. A matter might be sensitive for a teacher, but the child might not think so,” she said.

Source – The Hindu Newspaper & The Hindu