Mumbai: Arpan, a globally recognised non-profit organisation working towards the elimination of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA), took the momentum of its powerful #POCSOPakadLega campaign, launched during Child Safety Week 2025, to the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026. Leveraging one of India’s most visible public platforms, Arpan created awareness, amplified conversations among runners, supporters, and citizens about Child Sexual Abuse and reinforced public accountability for the implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
#POCSOPakadLega was the central theme of Arpan’s flagship public awareness campaign, Child Safety Week (CSW)—observed annually from 14th to 20th November with acclaimed actress Vidya Balan (Arpan’s Goodwill Ambassador) as the face of the campaign, that reached 165+ million people nationwide. The theme focussed on targeting offenders and sent an uncompromising warning: “Kisi bhi bacche ko galat tareeke se chhua toh #POCSOPakadLega. It served both as a warning and a deterrent, making the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) visible and accountability real.
At the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026, Arpan activated the message once again through a strong on-ground presence at the Dream Run, where Arpan’s team moved together as one unified voice, carrying the message of #POCSOPakadLega through placards and powerful slogans that symbolised collective responsibility and the power of community action. They called upon adult stakeholders reminding them that when adults take action, laws like POCSO come alive and ensure that offenders are held accountable.
The other leg of Arpan’s on-ground engagement at TMM was the Motivational Zone stage, anchored by a motorised handcuff innovation that visually reinforced the core message of #POCSOPakadLega, stating that offenders will be caught and held accountable under the law. Designed to arrest attention and provoke reflection, the installation drew runners, supporters, and spectators to pause and engage with the message. Alongside this, Arpan hosted a public pledge signboard that invited participants to commit to child safety and play their part in preventing child sexual abuse.
This was complemented by a photo-op with Vidya Balan’s lifesize cut-out alongside the campaign message, encouraging participants to engage with the installation, and amplify the message through their own social media platforms. The ambience was electrifying as the unstoppable spirit of Mumbai saw thousands of runners notice the #POCSOPakadLega campaign, and hundreds of them engaging with us. From 18 to 80 years, Arpan’s campaign saw Marathon participants shake a leg, sing with us and take pledges for child safety.
Arpan was recognised last year as Second Runners-up for Best Motivational Zone Stage at TMM 2025, and this year’s activation deepened its focus on deterrence and visibility.
Pooja Taparia, Founder and CEO, Arpan said:
“#POCSOPakadLega is about breaking the silence India has lived with for far too long and making offenders accountable. Child Sexual Abuse must no longer be whispered about, and offenders can't go scot-free. Platforms like the Tata Mumbai Marathon give us an unparalleled opportunity to take this conversation into the mainstream, reaching over 60,000 participants and turning awareness into collective responsibility. If one pledge leads to one adult stepping up for child safety, it can change a child’s future forever.”
The core intent of this initiative was to amplify conversation on CSA prevention, make the POCSO Act visible and hold offenders accountable which was brought alive through on-ground creative engagement, strong messaging, and active public participation.
About Arpan:
Arpan is a globally recognised, award-winning non-profit based in Mumbai, dedicated to the elimination of Child Sexual Abuse in India. It is the country’s largest NGO with 150+ professionals offering comprehensive prevention and intervention (healing) services for both children and adults. Through its various programmes and initiatives, Arpan works towards creating a safer environment for children across India. Over 2 crore individuals—spanning children and adults—have been impacted by Arpan’s services since 2007. As a thought leader in CSA Prevention and Intervention, Arpan drives policy and systemic change at the local, state and national levels.’
Arpan’s Impact over the years:
● Trained over 1.5 lakh children and 1.2 lakh adults across 250+ schools and 20+ communities through our flagship program, Personal Safety Education
● Digital modules reached over 2 lakh individuals
● Provided psychotherapy to 13,950+ children and adults and psychoeducation to 13,450+ children and adults.
● Trained 3.27+ Lakhs professionals. Our partners have trained 1.85+ crore adults and children through PSE implementation (30+ lakh) and Curriculum Integration in National and State Curricula (1.54+ crores).
For more information on the campaign, visit www.arpan.org.in or follow #POCSOPakadLega on social media.
About Child Safety Week
To break the silence surrounding CSA, Arpan initiated the ‘Child Safety Week’ (CSW) campaign in 2019 as a collaborative national movement that amplifies conversations, drives action, and build collective responsibility to address Child Sexual Abuse and create social change.
Observed from 14th to 20th November, the week aligns with significant national and global observances — Children’s Day in India (14 November), World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence (18 November), World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse ( 19 November), International Children’s Day (20 November).
Since its inception in 2019, Child Safety Week (CSW) has grown into a collaborative movement that unites NGOs, educators, parents, and civic bodies across India. Each year, the campaign drives conversations and initiatives designed to build safer spaces for children and create a culture that refuses to tolerate abuse in any form.
CSW 2025 was launched in November 2025 with Vidya Balan as the face of the campaign. It was an integrated 360 degree campaign that reached over 165 million people nationwide, combining digital platforms, on-ground activations, and public-space engagement. The campaign film featuring Vidya was disseminated across major OTT platforms and YouTube, supported by influencer outreach and high-impact visibility across outdoor media, transport networks, schools, and public spaces.
The campaign was activated across multiple states in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and received significant media coverage across publications such as Bombay Times, Lokmat Times, Free Press Journal, and other regional and national platforms.
