Jaipur: Bringing together policy makers, media, schools, children and public at large, a statewide initiative to “End Violence Against Children” was launched in Rajasthan today. The initiative, led by the Rajasthan State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (RSCPCR) in collaboration with UNICEF, Save the Children, Bal Raksha Bharat, Plan India, Action Aid, Sight Savers, Room to Read and World Vision, calls upon policymakers, media and the public to know, speak and act against child abuse.
“End Violence Against Children” is a initiative which builds on the outrage against the children being subjected to various forms of violence and brutality. Incidents of violence against children in the forms of child trafficking, child labour, child marriage, corporal punishment and sexual abuse are reported in the media with regularity.
With the launch of the campaign at Hotel Clarks Amer, it was pointed out that shared understanding and shared initiatives would be evolved at every level and sensitivity and public awareness would be created to tackle the issue of violence against children.
The Director, Women’s Empowerment, Ms. Tina Kumar, the Director, Child Rights, Mr. K.C. Verma, Mr. Rohit Mahajan from Police Department, senior representative from the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority, other departments and chairperson and members of the Child Welfare Committees along with a large number of children and principals of local schools as well as the representatives of non-government organizations attended the launch ceremony.
In Rajasthan, the initiative will try and build on strengthening attitudes and social norms that bring people together for tackling child abuse within their own communities. It wants to create a momentum through which more and more people are aware of what constitutes child abuse, are able to speak out against it and join hands in creating a protective environment of children.
According to the government’s own data (WCD Study 2007), violence against children remains hidden, invisible and largely unreported, 2 out 3 children are physically abused, mostly by people known to them in Rajasthan.
RSCPCR Chairperson Mrs. Deepak Kalra praised the new legislation for the protection of children from sexual offences Act (POCSO) 2012, which expands the scope and range of forms of sexual abuse, makes reporting compulsory and defines guidelines for child friendly judicial processes. Different forms of sexual abuse ranges from rape to even touching etc. The Juvenile Justice Act (JJ ACT), 2000, amended in 2006 and 2011 and complemented by Rajasthan State JJ Rules 2011 is comprehensive child protection legislation.
Ms. Kalra elaborated on various initiatives taken by the RSCPCR for protection of child rights. She also pointed out that Rajasthan is the first state to notify the guidelines for prevention of child abuse on the initiative taken by the commission.
RSCPCR Member Mr. Govind Beniwal said in his address that an atmosphere would be built up under the campaign for prompt action in the cases of violence against children. He said the violence against children was often no visible, children’s voice is often not heard and the cases of violence are not registered easily by the police. The initiative will highlight these aspects of the major social problem and try to evolve solutions.
The initiative will be taken across the districts, blocks and villages on the important aspects of prevention, protection and linking children and communities with the existing structure and sensitize the authorities and public at large.
The proposed activities under the campaign are rallies, discussion with children, writings, sensitization of authorities, street plays and distribution of pamphlets, organizing seminars and conferences on child rights and gender violence, identifying the issues relating to children and conveying them to the competent officers or the Commission and interacting with the media persons to make them sensitive to the issue and getting tips for finding space in the mainstream media.
For more information, please contact:
1. Govind Beniwal, Member (Rajasthan State Commission for Protection of Child Rights), Mobile: 9983888866, 2713620
2. Kalyan Singh Kothari, Media Consultant, Mobile: 9414047744