Conference on child rights held in Mandi

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has resolved more than 26,000 child rights cases, rescued 2,300 children and rehabilitated over 1,000 in their respective home districts in the past six months. This was stated by NCPCR Senior Adviser Umesh Chander Sharma during a district-level conference on child rights held at the Zila Parishad Hall here on Tuesday.

The conference was organised jointly by the District Administration and NCPCR, focusing on crucial issues related to child education, the Juvenile Justice Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Presiding the event as chief guest, Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan emphasised that real progress in child rights can only be achieved when awareness and discussions translate into concrete actions on the ground.

Devgan stated that Mandi is the first district in Himachal Pradesh to host such an event and the initiative would soon be replicated across other districts. He stressed that drug addiction poses one of the gravest threats to the health, growth and future of children, urging that rehabilitation and awareness be included as integral parts of child development programmes.

He called upon teachers and parents to help children realise their potential, adding that, “India will become a developed nation only when its younger generation is capable, confident, and self-reliant.”

Devgan also underscored the importance of prioritising child safety during disasters, noting that children are often most vulnerable during such times. He lauded Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s ‘Sukh Ashray Yojana’ for its compassionate approach toward orphaned and destitute children.

In his keynote address, Umesh Chander Sharma said every child rights case represents a personal story of hardship and hope, not just statistics. He reaffirmed the Centre and state government’s shared commitment to child protection and announced that NCPCR is developing Artificial Intelligence-based tools to tackle emerging threats such as mental health challenges, cybercrime and online child sexual exploitation.

District Child Protection Officer NR Thakur thanked the district administration and NCPCR for organising the conference on such important topics in Mandi.

The event also included technical sessions on the implementation of child protection laws, education and cyber safety. Principals, teachers, police officials and representatives from various departments participated in the conference, pledging continued cooperation toward creating a safer and drug-free environment for children.