In the late 1980s and early 1990s, ISKCON youth began speaking out, bringing to light serious concerns about child abuse within the society. At a 1996 meeting of North American ISKCON leaders, a group of youth courageously shared graphic accounts of the maltreatment they had endured as children under ISKCON’s care. Their testimonies compelled the leaders present to take action, resulting in the creation of the Task Force on Child Abuse in ISKCON, established by the Governing Body Commission (GBC) in 1997.

Following the recommendations of this Task Force, the ISKCON Central Office of Child Protection (ICOCP) was founded. Around the same time, Vaishnava youth established Children of Krishna, Inc. (CKI)—an independent, grassroots, grant-awarding organization formed by gurukula alumni to empower and support ISKCON youth.

In March 1998, ICOCP was formally incorporated as the Association for the Protection of Vaishnava Children (APVC, Inc.). Dhira Govinda Dasa was appointed as the first Director, assisted by Ijya Dasa as Secretary.

From June 2004, Tamohara Dasa took over as Director, with Krsna Kesava Dasa serving as Secretary.

In 2005, the GBC adopted a Child Protection Policy and Procedure Guideline, outlining standardized procedures for responding to allegations of child abuse.

In November 2009, the Central Office was relocated from the United States to South Africa, where Champakalata Dasi was appointed as Director, assisted by Krsangi Radhe Dasi.

In 2016, Kamlesh Krishna Dasa became the Director, and the Central Office moved to the United Kingdom, where he served alongside his wife Gandharvika Devi Dasi, also a child protection officer, until February 2025.

The Child Protection Policy and Procedure Guidelines were revised and ratified by the GBC in June 2018, establishing the most comprehensive and up-to-date framework for child protection within ISKCON. This document, ecclesiastical in nature, continues to serve as the guiding standard for ISKCON communities worldwide.

In January 2025, the GBC approved the formation of the Child Protection Oversight Committee (CPOC), tasked with ensuring that effective policies, structures, and processes are in place for child protection—and that they are consistently implemented and adhered to. This initiative will be led by ISKCON’s Regional Governing Bodies (RGBs) in collaboration with the CPOC.

As part of this transition, ISKCON’s Justice Minister will serve as the interim Child Protection Office Director from March 1, 2025, for up to nine months. During this time, international oversight will be provided to support RGBs in implementing the enhanced child protection approach.