Arpan Integrates Safety Curriculum In NCERT Textbooks

Not-for-profit organisation Arpan hosted its annual review on Friday, highlighting its deepening impact and strategic growth. Founded by Pooja Taparia, the organisation works in the field of child sexual abuse prevention and intervention. For the past two decades, it has worked towards creating safer environments for children through education, awareness and healing services.

A key highlight in the past year was the integration of Arpan’s personal security education (PSE) content into Grade 4 Environmental Studies (EVS) textbooks, embedding safety education into the formal curriculum for lakhs of children.

Speaking at the annual review event, Taparia said, “True change requires more than policy; it demands sustained investment in building effective models, motivating stakeholders, and maintaining momentum,” she added. Taparia said that Arpan’s partnerships and innovative approaches have doubled their outreach and brought them closer to a world free of child sexual abuse.

Arpan reached out to eight lakh children and adults during the year through their PSE curriculum. In all, it has reached out to more than 19 million individuals through a combination of direct delivery, training initiatives, and systemic interventions. This includes 1 million through on-ground outreach, 3 million through training partners, and 15 million through curriculum and digital integration, further establishing its position as India’s largest NGO exclusively working on CSA prevention and healing.

The annual review event was attended by Arpan’s donors, partners, board members, and advisors. Speakers included Jeyakumar Leslie of TCSiON; Antony Nellissery of Sterlite EdIndia Foundation; Ibrahim Nadaf of  MSCERT; Sarita Gadgile of Goa SCERT; Rahul Kantikar, superintendent of Dongri Children’s Home; and Surekha Punimiya, chief Sparsh coordinator of  ‘Sparsh Ek Ehsaas’ project, Inner Wheel District 314.

In November, Arpan spearheaded the sixth edition of CSW, themed ‘Protected by POCSO’, a bold nationwide campaign directly addressing offenders of child sexual abuse.

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