During a one-day workshop held on child right protection and safety hosted by several State Government- run bodies in collaboration with some social organisations on Thursday, the speakers dwelt at length on how to help the children live healthy life and how their rights can be best protected.
They also highlighted the impediments coming in the way of the implementation of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) in the State. Some suggestions for improving things on the front of child right protection and safety were also put forward for the State Government to consider.
Addressing the workshop, the State Additional chief secretary Radha Raturi said that a policy for the coming 10 years would be formulated by the State Government and it would be implemented from the district to block to the village levels.
Ram Villas Yadav, additional secretary of Uttarakhand social welfare commission, in his address said that the state government has already started a slew of programmes meant to speed the development of the children living across the State. “However, things have slowed down due to some reasons at the present stage.
We are sure that the team to be formed after the workshop would help accelerate the pace of the programmes,” he added.
Focusing on empowering the family, Yogendra Yadav, director of Uttarakhand Social Welfare Commission, sounded concerned over the spike in the crimes against the children. “It is important to take help from the law- enforcers in checking such crimes. But what is more important is that the structure of the family must grow strong,” he added.
He further said that a workshop would be soon conducted with the participation of the representatives of 95 blocks during which the problems of child rights protection would be discussed threadbare.
Among others present at the workshop included ICPS chief officer Mohit Chaudhary, BMA project manager Gopal Thapliyal, SBMA secretary Gyan Singh Rawat, Plan India state manager Suresh Balodi, child protection programme coordinator Ajay Pawan and child helpline programme coordinator Deepak Uppal.