A big welcome to our latest member organisation, the RATI* Foundation for Social Change in Mumbai, which works to create safe spaces and communities both online and offline for children and women. To achieve this, they develop and implement a variety of strategies, such as providing on-ground victim support, working on digital safety, strengthening child protection systems in government and civil society institutions, training stakeholders, conducting evidence-based advocacy with policymakers, networking with organisations across the country, developing communication resources, and conducting research.
RATI is committed to demonstrating and implementing national and international best practices in child protection. In partnership with the UK-based IWF, they also run India’s first internet hotline to report Child Abuse Material found on the internet. Their program, ‘The Aarambh India Initiative’, was awarded the prestigious Presidential National Award for Child Welfare in the Institutions category.
In their own words, we asked them to tell us why they chose to join KCS’s global members’ network:
What made you decide to join the KCS as a member?
Children are at the centre of the work we do at RATI. As an organisation, we have always aspired to follow the highest standards of safeguarding children and other marginalised communities we work with. We decided to become a member of KCS to further that commitment and put our policies, systems & processes to test.
What is the key driver in your ambition to implement child safeguarding?
We strongly believe that safer communities for children and women are safer communities for all. A very crucial indicator of a progressive society is how well it is committed and equipped to safeguard its children. RATI’s ambition is to mainstream this thought and this discourse in India in a non-fear-based approach.
Where do you think your organisation will be regarding child safeguarding in a year?
RATI has a robust child protection policy and systems in place to ensure high standards of safeguarding. In the next year, we aspire to learn more from the KCS network and also be scrutinised by international experts on our policy and practice.
What message do you want to tell your staff, donors and the wider world?
Safeguarding children cannot be and should not be an afterthought. We must ensure that individuals, organisations, companies and Government systems understand & imbibe the concept of Safeguarding children as they design their policies, products and programs. Child protection is a collective responsibility and it’s a fundamental human right.
*RATI = Rights. Action. Technology. Inclusion.