NIMHANS programme on safety awareness reaches 25,000 Bengaluru students

A safety and gender sensitisation initiative led by NIMHANS doctors has reached nearly 25,000 students in Bengaluru since May 2022. The programme, spearheaded by Dr. Eesha Sharma, Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, concludes this month. It was funded by the Bengaluru City Police under the Centre’s Nirbhaya scheme and conducted in partnership with Karnataka’s Department of School Education.

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Over 2.5 years, the campaign covered 205 government schools across Bengaluru's North and South zones, educating 24,925 children and adolescents. Additionally, 10 batches of over 350 teachers were trained to create supportive school environments for children’s safety.

The programme targeted students from grades 6 to 10 with two distinct modules. The module for grades 6-7 focused on physical and emotional safety, while the grades 8-10 module covered gender, relationships, and sexuality alongside personal safety. The content was adapted from manuals developed by NIMHANS in 2017 and translated into Kannada for broader use.

To reinforce the message, the team created an animated film titled Nanna Surakshate Nanna Hakku (My Safety, My Right). The 80-minute film, introducing personal safety concepts, was screened for over 200 students and teachers at NIMHANS. It features a protagonist, Anu, who learns about safety through stories and games.

The screening was attended by key officials, including Commissioner of Public Instruction K.V. Trilok Chandra and NIMHANS Director Dr. Prathima Murthy. The film is now available on the NIMHANS website for public use.