Vidya Balan uses her star power to protect kids

Vidya Balan

When Vidya Balan portrayed a survivor of child sexual abuse in Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh (2016), the team of Arpan, India's largest NGO fighting the issue, roped her in as the goodwill ambassador. Over the years, the actor has used her voice to shed light on the issue. This year, to mark Child Safety Week between November 14 and 20, Balan and the NGO teamed up for a powerful campaign that is aimed directly at offenders. In the 57-second video, the actor emphasises that child sexual abuse is a punishable offense and can lead offenders to serve a prison sentence from three years to a lifetime.

Pooja Taparia

Pooja Taparia, founder-CEO, Arpan, says the campaign - titled Protected By POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) - is designed to deter offenders by instilling fear of punishment. "Protected By POCSO carries a clear message: child sexual abuse is a punishable offense; stop right now or get caught. By creating widespread awareness of the laws and protections, we aim to deter offenders from continuing these crimes. They need to understand that they will be held accountable. Vidya's video message on Instagram has already sparked widespread engagement," states Taparia.

The founder is grateful to Balan, who has supported the NGO's initiatives over the years and made them reach a wider audience. Pleased with the actor's six-year association, Taparia adds, "Her commitment is genuine, and her involvement has added immense value to the cause. Her association is not limited to a single campaign. She headlines Child Safety Week annually. Her continued advocacy [lends] visibility and credibility to the campaign." Kalki Koechlin, Tisca Chopra, and Kanika Dhillon also threw their weight behind the campaign this year.