Initiative to prevent crime against children

Nitish Sharma

The Childline Ambala, a member of the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, along with various government departments and social organisations has launched a ‘Talk to Children’ programme.

The initiative aims at preventing crime and sexual abuse of children.  Under the programme, the commission members and NGOs hold events at educational institutes, villages and social platforms to motivate parents and teachers to talk to children to know about the issues they have been facing. Children will also be motivated to tell their parents if someone touches them inappropriately or other issues they have been facing in their schools or in the locality.

Dr Pratibha Singh, a member of the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, says, “The focus of the programme will be on children and their parents. During visits to schools it was observed that children were not aware of the difference between a good touch and a bad touch. Many children, who were facing other issues, were hesitating from telling them about their problems. There have been instances when minor girls informed us that they were being touched inappropriately but they had no idea if it was right or wrong”.

“The ‘Talk to Children’ programme has been launched in Ambala and soon it will be organised in other districts  too. State government departments that have been working in the field of child protection will be involved in the project. Three villages will be covered every week, for which panchayats will be involved and similar meetings will be held in schools, especially during the parent teacher meetings,” she adds.

The Zila Yuva Vikas Sangathan has been running the Childline helpline in Ambala since 2011. It is a project of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Naresh Mittal, general secretary of the Sangathan, says, “A large number of children call for help on the childline. Children also tell their problems but there are a large number of them who still hesitate from speaking about their problems to anyone. Hence, it was decided to bring all departments and NGOs working in the field of child protection on a platform and start a programme”. 

“Teenagers often get attracted towards wrong things and take wrong decisions. We will motivate these children to focus only on their studies and career. The role of parents is crucial but it has been noticed that they don’t talk to their children on some important issues. They will be advised to interact with their children, guide them and also check what they have been browsing on the Internet, as most of the children remain glued to mobile phones,” he adds.

Samrat Bharti, Programme Coordinator of Childline India Foundation, says, “It is an attempt to prevent crimes against children. Under the programme, Bal Sabha and Bal Sanrakshan units will be constituted in villages. We are hopeful that the project will give a voice to children”.