Karnataka develops manual to build child-friendly villages across State
In a significant development, Karnataka has developed a manual to train officials and community stakeholders in creating child-friendly villages across the State. A senior official
In a significant development, Karnataka has developed a manual to train officials and community stakeholders in creating child-friendly villages across the State. A senior official from the Abdul Nazir Sab State Institute of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, who was involved in preparing the manual, said, “In 2025, Halanayakanahalli in Bengaluru Urban district was recognised and rewarded by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in the Child-Friendly Village category. The village won a Panchayat Award along with a cash prize of ₹75 lakh. The funds are being used for the development of village infrastructure.” “We studied the Halanayakanahalli case and several other villages across India while developing this manual for implementation across the State.
Child rights experts were also consulted and their recommendations incorporated in the preparation of the manual,” the official said. What does it say? The manual has systematic guidelines framed for gram panchayat officials, presidents and members, school teachers, police officials, and individuals who work directly and indirectly towards protecting child rights. Explaining the contents of the manual, the official said, “There should be 100% enrolment and attendance of children in schools and anganwadis. No child should be left out of school or become a child labourer in agricultural fields or elsewhere.
Apart from this, 100% immunisation of children is mandatory. Health check-ups must be conducted regularly to ensure that no child is malnourished. More importantly, there should be no child marriages or teenage pregnancies. To achieve this, awareness programmes will be conducted for children, parents and teachers.” The official added that villages must have well-maintained libraries to help children develop reading habits, while also providing opportunities to learn games and computer skills. When asked about the implementation, the official said that gram panchayat elections are still pending and, hence, training based on the manual has not yet begun.
Overall development Vasudev Sharma, a child rights activist who was part of the panel that prepared the manual for developing child-friendly villages, said, “Half of the problems in villages will end if there are no child marriages, child labour, or teenage pregnancies. This manual will help us develop villages that are not only child-friendly, but also support their overall development.”
The BriefWire