Nationwide study on child abuse in India

New Delhi, Apr 15: A national level study on child abuse is being conducted to assess the extent and magnitude of the problem in India.

The study will gauge the different forms of abuse and examine the profile of the abused and exploited children and their relationship with the perpetrator, according to official sources here.

The issue of child abuse, which has remained neglected so far, has been entrusted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to Prayas, a non-government organisation (NGO) working on children's issues.

Prayas, which is conducting the year-long study starting September 2005, will recommend measures and strategies for policy, legislations and programme development in this regard, the sources said.

Based on the findings, the government will draw up interventions to address the problem.

In view of the expertise and experience of Prayas in the field, the NGO, on behalf of the ministry, had organised on October 28-29 a workshop to train trainers or field officers who will undertake the nationwide study.

The effort is being funded by Save the Children and UNICEF.

UNI