21 July 2025
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July 2025 — The Child Protection Office Committee (CPOC) was honored to participate in the ISKCON Law Department’s inaugural Asia-Pacific Conference, held in Sydney, Australia. This historic event brought together legal professionals, GBC members, and temple leaders to address pressing issues of governance and safeguarding across the region.

As part of the program, CPOC delivered a session titled “Protecting Children in ISKCON.” The presentation emphasized ISKCON’s evolving global child protection framework and shared updates on its newly implemented Enhanced Approach to Child Protection, as adopted by the GBC on January 3, 2025.

Themes from the presentation included:
  • The Enhanced Child Protection Model adopted by the GBC, including decentralization with oversight, professional investigations, and transparent adjudications.
  • The three lines of defense model, integrating protection efforts across local leadership, expert guidance, and independent oversight.
  • The critical role of the newly established Child Protection Oversight Committee (CPOC) in maintaining system integrity while remaining independent of investigations or case adjudications.
  • The necessity for greater training and cultural shifts to ensure long-term success in ISKCON’s safeguarding efforts.
  • Procedural reforms in investigation, adjudication, and appeals, including independent panels and strict timelines.
  • Ways in which regional leaders and CPO teams can collaborate through compliance checks, training, and shared resources.

Photo courtesy of Vrajendra Gopinath Das.