BHUBANESWAR: Children by their natural physiological and social position are highly vulnerable. Even at times, their dependency on others and the instinct to be influenced by elders heightens this vulnerability, observed experts at a consultation programme here on Saturday.
The three-day convention on ‘Ending violence against children’ organised by Odisha Alliance for Child Rights and National Action and Coordination Group in partnership with Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, ended with children and adults sharing their observations, hopes, aspiration and concerns.
Both adults and children came up with well-documented recommendations in which they pointed out the challenges of taking the benefits of Government schemes to grassroots and lack of accessibility to children at the point of implementation.
A participant, Sasmita Sahoo from Sonepur, observed that the authorities should develop a system through which they can keep track whether the schemes are reaching the children. ‘’The phone number of Child Line - 1098 - should be promoted more extensively by creating awareness on its service at Anganwadi and school level,’’ she said.
While child labourers are being rescued from different places almost every day, there is no adequate space and provision to rehabilitate them properly. This was the reason why children return to become child labourer, the participants observed.
Chairman of Odisha Alliance for child Rights Ranjan Kumar Mohanty said even as child marriage affects lives of children at large, the issue is least discussed in the State. Many communities practice child marriage soon after the girl child attains puberty. Further, it has been a concern in districts with high women illiteracy, he said.
Mohanty suggested for opening of centres for rehabilitation at district level with adequate support for children till they are in the development process without compromising their childhood opportunities.
Children came up with suggestion that there was a need of opening child protection committee at the village level with a sizable number of children members.
Director of Social Welfare Prasanth Kumar Reddy, Director of Elementary Education Chudamani Seth and Chairman of NACG-EVAC Dr Chiranjeev Kakoty also spoke.