Make Anantapur child-friendly district, says NCPC member

Anantapur: National Child Protection Commission member Dr R G Anand has stated that child protection is everyone's responsibility and the need of the hour.

Addressing a meeting of Juvenile Justice System workers here on Wednesday along with collector Gandham Chandrudu and SP Sathya Yesu Babu, Dr Anand called upon all concerned for making the district a 'child-friendly' one. Child Help Line No 1098 should be contacted to inform distress condition of any child and every child protection issue should be brought to the attention of local child protection cell and the district administration. He also lauded the district collector Gandham Chandrudu for initiating innovative steps on the child protection front including the 'Know and Rise' programme.

The National Commission for Child Protection member called for an end to child marriage practices by launching an awareness campaign in this regard and passing on information of practice to the concerned officials. Awareness should be created among people on the biological ill-effects of the practice on the offspring of child couples, he said and added governments were applying their mind on the issue and would do their best to end the social evil.

He suggested the constitution of child-friendly corners in every primary health centre and asked district medical and health officer to do the needful. He lauded the collector for being instrumental in bringing back 28,000 school children in rural areas from private schools to government schools and in the context, he urged the collector to take steps for creating awareness on Right to Education in all government and private schools.

District Collector Gandham Chandrudu spoke on the initiatives taken on the child protection front as well as on the 'Know and Rise' programme.

Joint Collector A Siri gave a presentation on the measures in place on the child protection front. Joint Collector Nishanth and other ICDS officials were also present.