MALAPPURAM: The Functioning of Childline in the state has been hit as the NGOs associating with it have withdrawn financial support, officials said. Though Childline continues to respond to children’s problems on a daily basis, it is not able to run awareness classes and training programmes. The NGOs blame the Union government for the present crisis.
“As many as 35 NGOs give financial support to Childline. Those in the state stopped funding which is violation of the agreement with the Childline India Foundation. As a result, Childline is not able to run awareness programmes in the state to prevent child abuse,” said a top official.
Another Childline official said on condition of anonymity that several district coordinators have quit Childline jobs due to financial crisis. “Most staffers of Childline are highly qualified and they are working for the organisation on a meagre salary. Recently, six district coordinators resigned because of financial issues. Many have not received honorariums for the past three months. Daily interventions of Childline will also be hit if the situation continues like this,” said an official in Malappuram.
The Childline failed to act according to the terms of the agreement, NGO authorities said.“Usually, NGOs allot funds to Childline in advance. They pay our money back when they get funds from the Ministry of Women and Child Development. However, the ministry has not allotted funds to the Childline foundation for the past eight months. Hence, Childline could not give money to the NGOs for the same period,” said Dinesh C K, director of Joint Voluntary Action For Legal Alternatives, the NGO which supports Childline.
The confusion over Childline’s future also forced the NGOs to stop funding. The Centre initiated measures recently to merge Childline toll-free number 1098 with the emergency number 112. So, there is a chance of bringing Childline under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Currently it is functioning under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
“The merger has not been finalised. NGOs are confused about the future of Childline as the Centre is planning to bring it under the Ministry of Home Affairs. We don’t know if NGOs will be part of the future operations” Dinesh added.
A top official with Childline said standard operation procedures (SOP) to run Childline might be issued by the Centre soon.