DLSA Gurugram to conduct POCSO awareness workshops in schools to promote child safety

Gurugram's DLSA will conduct workshops in schools to educate students on child safety, legal rights, and the Pocso Act to empower them against abuse.

Published on: May 16, 2026, 05:22:05 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Gurugram: To strengthen child safety and legal awareness among students, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) will organise special awareness workshops and camps about the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act 2012 in schools across the district starting Saturday, officials said.

Officials said the workshops aim to educate students about their legal rights, child protection measures, good touch and bad touch, cyber safety, complaint mechanisms and legal safeguards available under the Pocso Act.

Students will also be informed about cyber security, child helpline services, free legal aid and emergency assistance mechanisms. Officials said children would be encouraged to seek help without hesitation in cases of harassment, bullying or abuse.

Under these workshops, panel advocates and para-legal volunteers associated with the DLSA will interact with students and provide detailed guidance on identifying abuse, preventive measures and reporting procedures.

The campaign is being conducted in collaboration with the Haryana State Legal Services Authority, Panchkula, and under the supervision of district and sessions judge-cum-chairperson of DLSA Gurugram, Narender Sura, along with chief judicial magistrate-cum-secretary, DLSA Gurugram, Nisha.

According to officials, the initiative is significant as concerns related to child abuse, online exploitation and cyber threats are increasing. By conducting awareness sessions in schools, the administration aims to empower children with the confidence to identify inappropriate behaviour, speak up without fear and seek timely help from trusted adults or authorities, officials added.

Experts associated with the campaign said many children fail to report abuse due to fear, confusion or lack of awareness. Sensitisation programmes in schools can help students understand personal boundaries, recognise unsafe situations and access support systems before situations escalate.

Chief judicial magistrate-cum-secretary Nisha said the campaign is focused on making children aware, confident and empowered.

“The objective of this initiative is to enable children to identify any inappropriate activity and immediately inform their parents, teachers or concerned authorities. Child safety is a collective social responsibility and awareness is the most effective tool to prevent such crimes,” she said.

DLSA officials added that awareness camps will be organised periodically in schools and rural areas across Gurugram district as part of a sustained outreach programme to strengthen child protection and legal literacy among students.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

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