Child Protection Policy

1. Policy Statement

India Humanity Foundation (IHF) is committed to ensuring that every child has the right to a safe, healthy, and dignified childhood. As an organization working to advance human welfare and child rights, IHF upholds the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and aligns its practices with internationally accepted child protection standards.

IHF maintains a zero-tolerance approach toward all forms of child abuse, exploitation, neglect, and violence. Safeguarding children is a core organizational responsibility across all countries and contexts where we operate. Any violation of this policy intentional or unintentional will result in appropriate disciplinary action and, where applicable, legal action in accordance with local laws.

2. Purpose of the Policy

This policy aims to:

Reinforce IHF’s global commitment to safeguarding children.
Ensure child safety, protection, and well-being across all programs, partnerships, and activities.
Establish a clear and effective safeguarding framework.
Define a standard Code of Conduct for staff, associates, trustees, partners, and visitors.
Provide transparent reporting and response mechanisms for safeguarding concerns.

3. Key Definitions

Child

Any person below the age of 18 years, in line with international standards.

Child Abuse

All forms of physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation, neglect, or negligent treatment resulting in actual or potential harm to a child. Abuse may involve deliberate action or failure to act.

Child Protection / Safeguarding

Preventive and responsive measures adopted by IHF to protect children from intentional and unintentional harm in all environments connected to our work.

Definition of Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is deliberately hurting a child causing injuries by way of bodily contact. It may include injuries sustained from burning, beating, kicking, punching, and so on. Physical abuse may result from extreme disciplinary actions or from the punishment that is inappropriate to the child’s age or condition or from peer violence or bullying.

Definition of Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is the ongoing emotional maltreatment of a child. It is sometimes called psychological abuse and can seriously damage a child’s emotional health and development. Emotional abuse can involve deliberately trying to scare or humiliate a child or isolating or ignoring them. It includes humiliating and degrading treatment such as the use of foul language, name-calling, constant criticism, belittling or insulting, persistent shaming, humiliating, ridiculing, ostracizing, and any verbal violence such as shouting and/or threatening.

Definition of Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is defined as inappropriate sexual behaviour with a child. It is an act, using a child for the sexual gratification of the more powerful person. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (Amendment 2019) has defined sexual offences against children. These offences include penetrative sexual assault and sexual assault (Section 4 and 7), aggravated penetrative sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault (Section 6 and 9), sexual harassment (Section 11) and pornography (Section 2). Sexual abuse may be committed by an adult or another child. This may be committed by another child when that person is either significantly older than the victim or when the perpetrator is in a position of power or control over the child.

Definition of Neglect

Neglect is the ongoing failure to meet a child’s basic needs. A child may be left hungry or dirty, without adequate clothing, shelter, supervision, medical or health care. A child may be put in danger or not protected from physical or emotional harm. Children may not get the love, care and attention they need from their parents. Neglect often leaves no visible scars; it is more likely to go undetected. Neglect is the most common type of maltreatment that children experience and has consequences that are just as serious as physical abuse. It is sometimes called the ‘passive’ form of abuse in that it relates to the failure to carry out actions that result in significant impairment of the child’s health or development including a failure to thrive emotionally and socially. This also refers to inaction when a child is exposed to risky/threatening material or situations, and/or leaving them unsupervised.

Corporal Punishment

As per the provisions of RTE Act 2009, the corporal punishment may be identified as physical punishment, mental harassment or discrimination.

Bullying, Intimidation and Isolation

Bullying can either be direct, i.e. from the bully to the victim (for example, through physical intimidation or attacks, verbal abuse, unwanted attention and advances, damaging property), or it can be indirect (for example, through spreading malicious rumours). It can also include cyber-bullying (for example, sending unpleasant SMS messages, photographs or emails, to the victim or to others).

I. Recognizing Abuse and Harm

a. Signs of physical abuse:

Bruises, burns, sprains, dislocations, bites, cuts
Improbable excuses are given to explain injuries
Injuries which have not received medical attention
Injuries that occur to the body in places that are not normally exposed to falls, rough games, etc.
Repeated urinary infections or unexplained stomach pains
Refusal to discuss injuries
Withdrawal from physical contact
Fear of returning home or of parents being contacted
Showing wariness or distrust of adults
Self-destructive tendencies
Being aggressive towards others
Being very passive and compliant
Chronic running away

b. Signs of emotional abuse:

Physical, mental and emotional development is delayed
Highly anxious
Showing delayed speech or sudden speech disorder
Fear of new situations
Low self-esteem
Inappropriate emotional responses to painful situations
Extremes of passivity or aggressio
Drug or alcohol abuse
Chronic running away
Compulsive stealing
Obsessions or phobias
Sudden under-achievement or lack of concentration
Attention-seeking behaviour
Persistent tiredness
Lying

c. Signs of Child Sexual Abuse

Social Withdrawal
Increased hostility or aggression
Over-pleasing behaviour
A drastic change in achievement patterns
Sexualized behaviour
Early sexual activity
Use of abusive sexual languag
Psychosomatic illnesses
Pain or swelling in the genital area
Repeated urinary infections
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Eating/sleep disturbances
Anxiety or Indifference
Depression
Suicidal ideation/attempts

In addition to knowing the signs of victimization, below are some early warning signs to look out for in adults who offend and children indulging in inappropriate behaviour:

d. Warning Signs of offenders (adults)

Has a “favourite” student or child
Attempts to find ways to be alone with children
Inappropriate language, jokes and discussions about students/children
Sexualized talk in the presence of students/children
Gives private gifts or has private chats on Facebook/internet

e. Warning Signs of Children indulging in sexual misbehaviour

Unusual interest in sex, sexualizing inanimate objects and activities
Does not stop sexual misbehaviour when told to stop
Uses force and coercion in social situations
Shows unusual intensity when discussing sex and sexuality
Socializes with children much younger
Gives gifts, requires secrecy in relationships

f. Neglect Signs of neglect:

Medical needs unattended
Lack of supervision
Consistent hunger
Inappropriate dress
Poor hygiene
Inadequate nutrition
Fatigue or listlessness
Self-destructive
Extreme loneliness
An extreme need for affection
Failure to grow
Poor personal hygiene
Low self-esteem
Poor social relationships
Compulsive stealing
Drug or alcohol abuse

g. Signs of Corporal punishment:

Unexplained injuries
Physical, mental and emotional development is delayed
Highly anxious, fear of going to school
Showing delayed speech or sudden speech disorder
Fear of new situations
Low self-esteem
Inappropriate emotional responses to painful situations
Extremes of passivity or aggression
A sense of worthlessness, anger, resentment, and confusion
Having trouble forming close relationships
Drug or alcohol abuse
Chronic running away
Compulsive stealing
Obsessions or phobias
Sudden under-achievement or lack of concentration
Attention-seeking behaviour
Persistent tiredness
Lying

h. Bullying

In every bullying situation, there are typically three key parties: the victim, the bully or bullies, and those who stand by (by-standers), who are aware of the bullying. Each of these three parties is affected negatively by bullying.

Signs of Bullying

Unexplainable injuries
Afraid to go to school or other activities
Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewellery
Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating.
Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork,
Sudden loss of friends, isolated from the peer group or avoidance of social situations
Feelings of helplessness or decreased self-esteem
Self-harm behaviours.

II. The long-term impact of child abuse and maltreatment

The long-term impact of child abuse and maltreatment (Physical, emotional, sexual abuse and Neglect) can continue in adulthood if not supported and healed.

Inability to manage the day to day functioning
Inability to care for self
Inability to coexist, cooperate or work with others
Lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem
Prone to addiction, substance abuse
Inability to maintain healthy relationships
Constant health problems
Prone to mental health problems
Depression and anxiety
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Attachment difficulties
Eating disorders
Self-harm behaviour (for example, suicide attempts)
Sexual dysfunction
Perpetrator or receiver of domestic violence
Becoming abuser themselves

Section C: Enabling Legal Provisions, Acts and Schemes

India has made some significant commitments towards granting children their basic rights. India has taken the first few steps by bringing in a number of policy formulations, legislative amendments and commitment to international ratifications. India has ratified the United Nations Convention for Child Rights in the year 1992 and has passed the Child Rights Acts 2005 as few of the necessary steps to protect the rights of the children in the country as well as brought other constitutional and legal provisions to safeguard children and ensure speedy trial of offences against children.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child with special reference to the following articles upholds care and protection of children. The specific articles are:

Article 2: The Convention applies to everyone whatever their race, religion, abilities, whatever they think or say and whatever type of family they come from.

Article 19: Governments should ensure that children are properly cared for, and protect. them from violence, abuse and neglect by their parents or anyone else who looks after them.

Article 34: The Government should protect children from sexual abuse.

Article 36: Children should be protected from any activities that could harm their development.

There are also existing enabling legal provisions in India which safeguard children’s safety and criminalize unsafe behaviour. The first step to fulfil the rights of children can be found in the Constitution of India. There are a number of articles that address the various needs of children as outlined below. The articles are divided into two categories: Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy. Constitutional provisions include:

• Article 21 of the constitution of India which protects the right to life and dignity includes the right to education for children up to 14 years of age. Corporal punishment and other threats to the life and safety of the child amount to abuse and militate against the freedom and dignity of a child. It also interferes with a child’s right to education because the fear of corporal punishment and other threats makes children more likely to avoid school or to drop out altogether. Hence, corporal punishment and other threats to the life and safety of the child violate the right to life with dignity.

• Article 39(c) directs the State to work progressively to ensure that “the tender ages of children are not abused”.

• Article 39(f) directs the State to work progressively to ensure that “children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment.”

Diverse acts also support and promote children’s wellbeing:

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 which has come into force with effect from 1st April 2010, prohibits ‘physical punishment’ and ‘mental harassment’ under Section 17(1) and makes it a punishable offence under Section 17(2). These provisions read as follows:

— Section 17, Prohibition of physical punishment and mental harassment to a child: No child shall be subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment. Whoever contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) shall be liable to disciplinary action under the service rules applicable to such person.

— Section 35(1) of the RTE Act provides detailed guidelines/advisory to eliminate corporal punishment in schools. The RTE Act does not preclude the application of other legislation that relates to the violations of the rights of the child, for example, booking the offences under the IPC and the SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act of 1989. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000: This is an important statute that criminalizes acts that may cause a child mental or physical suffering.

— Section 23 of the JJ Act, 2000 states as follows: “Whoever, having the actual charge of, or control over, a juvenile or the child, assaults, abandons, exposes or wilfully neglects the juvenile or causes or procures him to be assaulted, abandoned, exposed or neglected in a manner likely to cause such juvenile or the child unnecessary mental or physical suffering shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or fine, or with both.”

— Section 23 covers the actions of anyone who has “actual charge or control over” a child. While Section 23 is likely to be applied most often to personnel in childcare institutions regulated by the JJ Act, it arguably applies to cruelty by anyone in a position of authority over a child, which would include parents, guardians, teachers and employers.

Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (some provisions) can be used to prosecute an adult in the general category who inflicts corporal punishment or commits other crimes against a scheduled caste or scheduled tribe child.
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (Amendment 2019) protects children from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography and provides for the establishment of special courts for trial of such offences and for matters connected with or incidental thereof. With a view to ensure the healthy physical, emotional and social development of the child and to protect children from offences of sexual assaults and sexual harassment and for matters connected therewith, Government of India has notified the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (32 of 2012) along with Rules framed thereunder which have come into force w.e.f. 14th November 2012.
- — This act has defined sexual offences against children (Amendment 2019).
- — These offences include penetrative sexual assault and sexual assault (Section 3 and 7), aggravated penetrative sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault (Section 5 and 9), sexual harassment (Section 11) and pornography (Section 13).
- These offences include penetrative sexual assault and sexual assault (Section 3 and 7), aggravated penetrative sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault (Section 5 and 9), sexual harassment (Section 11) and pornography (Section 13).

— The aforesaid may include:

making sexual comments about the child’s appearance;
forcible physical touch, looking or staring at body;
objectionable letters, telephone calls, SMS, MMSS, e-mails, etc.;
sexual jokes or innuendo or taunts causing or likely to cause embarrassment to the child;
gender-based insults or sexist remarks;
actual or attempted penetrative sexual intercourse with a child;
non-penetrative sexual activity, for example rubbing the penis between the child’s thighs or genitals;
touching, pinching, or fondling a child’s sexual parts, i.e. genitals, breasts or buttocks;
brushing against any part of the body;
oral sex with a child, i.e. mouth or sexual parts;
masturbation between adult and child;
the abuser showing his or her private parts to the child;
the exploitative use of a child in prostitution or any other unlawful sexual practice;
the exploitative use of a child in pornography;
showing pictures of a sexual nature to the child that he or she does not want to see;
letting the child watch or hear an act of sexual intercourse;
forcing a child into marriage; and Unwelcome sexually determined behaviour in the form of verbal- non-verbal and physical;
Eve-teasing;
Displaying pornographic or other offensive or derogatory pictures, cartoons, pamphlets or saying;
Any other act which violates or is likely to violate the child’s privacy or cause mental or physical disturbance to the child due to its sexual nature or content.
Sexual offences committed by persons who are in the management or staff of educational institutions and persons in a position of trust and authority over children are liable for higher penalties as per provisions of this Act.
The Information Technology Act, 2000 (also known as ITA-2000, or the IT Act) is an Act of the Indian Parliament (No 21 of 2000) notified on 17 October 2000. It is the primary law in India dealing with cybercrime and electronic commerce. It is based on the United Nations Model Law on Electronic Commerce 1996 (UNCITRAL Model) recommended by the General Assembly of United Nations by a resolution dated 30 January 1997. The Act provides a legal framework for electronic governance and defines cybercrimes and prescribes penalties for them. A major amendment was made in 2008. It introduced the Section 66A which penalized sending of “offensive messages”. It also introduced Section 69, which gave authorities the power of “interception or monitoring or decryption of any information through any computer resource”. It also included child pornography, cyber terrorism and voyeurism.

Informed Consent

Freely given, written, dated, and signed agreement to participate in an activity after receiving adequate information about its purpose and implications. For minors, consent must be obtained from a parent or legal guardian.

4. Guiding Principles

IHF’s safeguarding approach is grounded in the following principles:

Non-Discrimination: All children must be treated equally regardless of gender, ethnicity, ability, religion, nationality, or social background.
Best Interests of the Child: The child’s safety and well-being take priority in all decisions.
Respect and Participation: Children have the right to express their views safely and participate in decisions affecting them.
Dignity and Privacy: Children’s identities, images, and personal data must be handled with care and confidentiality.
Zero Tolerance: Any form of abuse or exploitation is unacceptable.

5. Scope and Applicability

This policy applies to:

All IHF employees and consultants
All volunteers, interns, and associates
Board members and trustees
Partner organizations
All visitors interacting with children in IHF-supported environments

This policy is applicable across all geographic locations where IHF operates.

6.Code of Conduct

IHF Representatives MUST:

Treat every child with respect, dignity, and fairness.
Create and maintain safe environments for children.
Obtain informed consent before interviews, photographs, recordings, or participation in communications.
Ensure that images and stories portray children respectfully and without exploitation.
Maintain confidentiality of child-sensitive data.
Communicate with children only within professional boundaries.
Identify risks and take proactive measures to mitigate them.
Report any suspicion, concern, or incident of abuse immediately.

IHF Representatives MUST NOT:

Engage in physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.
Intimidate, shame, threaten, or discriminate against a child.
Use corporal punishment or inappropriate physical contact.
Share personal contact details or engage in unauthorized private communication.
Be alone with a child in private spaces without clear professional justification and safeguards.
Share child images or personal information without consent and approval.
Expose children to harmful, inappropriate, or exploitative material.
Provide personal gifts outside formal, approved programs.
Consume alcohol, tobacco, or drugs in the presence of children.
Employ or support any form of child labor.

7.Safeguarding Responsibilities

7.1 Awareness & Capacity Building

All IHF representatives must read, sign, and comply with this policy.
Safeguarding training and orientation are mandatory.
Leadership ensures implementation of safeguarding procedures.
Breach of this policy constitutes serious misconduct.

7.2 Prevention

Robust recruitment and background verification procedures are implemented.
Partner organizations must meet equivalent safeguarding standards.
Children’s images and case studies must prioritize dignity and privacy.
Safeguarding procedures will align with local legal and regulatory requirements.
A Designated Authority (DA) will oversee implementation and compliance.

7.3 Reporting Obligations

Reporting safeguarding concerns is mandatory.
Concerns must be reported within 24 hours of becoming aware of an incident.
Reports should be submitted to the Designated Authority and/or HR.
All cases must be documented accurately and confidentially.
Information will be shared strictly on a need-to-know basis.
All representatives must cooperate fully with investigations.

7.4 Response & Investigation

Immediate steps will be taken to ensure the child’s safety.
Initial response to reported concerns will occur within 48 hours.
Investigations will be confidential, impartial, and timely.
Cases may be referred to relevant statutory authorities as required by local law.
Disciplinary action may include warning, suspension, termination, or legal proceedings.
Whistleblowers are protected against retaliation.

8. Governance & Review

The Human Resources function and Designated Authority administer this policy.
Safeguarding systems will be regularly monitored and strengthened.
The policy will be reviewed at least every three years or sooner if required due to regulatory or operational changes.
Amendments require leadership approval.

9. Organizational Commitment

India Humanity Foundation affirms its unwavering commitment to child safeguarding in all countries and contexts where it operates. Protecting children is a shared responsibility across our organization, partnerships, and stakeholders.

Child protection is not an isolated compliance requirement—it is fundamental to our mission, values, and global accountability.