CHENNAI: Integrated Rural Community Development Society (IRCDS) and Children Believe, NGOs working with children, launched a signature campaign in Poondi block in Tiruvallur district on Saturday to create awareness among newly-elected panchayat representatives, parents, youth and others, about promoting child-friendly families, communities and institutions.
Members of IRCDS said the campaign was inaugurated by SP P Aravindan.
The campaign will cover 5,000 people in the block and papers containing signatures will be submitted to the Collector, District Chairperson, SP and State Commission for Child Rights. The aim is to promote Poondi block as a replicate model ‘Child-Friendly Block’.
The week-long campaign will cover 49 panchayats and 72 villages. “We will educate panchayat representatives, children, parents and youth along with government departments including Social Defence Department about POCSO Act Right to Education Act and Juvenile Justice Act. They will also be encouraged to take a pledge to create a safe society for children,” said P Stephen, programme manager, IRCDS. “We chose Poondi because literacy rate is low,” he said.