DC emphasises collective responsibility
JK News Today
RAJOURI, NOVEMBER 14: Marking Children’s Day with a renewed commitment towards safeguarding child rights and ensuring the safety and well-being of every child, the District Administration Rajouri, in collaboration with the National Development Foundation (NDF) Jammu and UNICEF India, organised a district-level awareness and training programme on child protection.
Deputy Commissioner Devansh Yadav chaired the inaugural programme.
The programme witnessed participation for district officers, representatives from civil society, Anganwadi staff and students. The participants were sensitised to the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, particularly issues concerning Children in Conflict with Law (CCL) and Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP). The participants were apprised of the legal safeguards, institutional responsibilities and mechanisms for identifying vulnerable children and ensuring timely support and protection.
The programme provided an opportunity for interaction among the participating stakeholders, encouraging greater coordination and a shared understanding of their responsibilities under the child protection framework.
The students drawn from various schools recited the National song and the National anthem. DCPO Abdul Raheem and Programme Manager Sunny Kumar acted as resource persons, while PO NDF Nisha Pandita conducted the stage. District Mission coordinator from District Hub for empowerment of women Rajouri Assma Manhas was also present.
Addressing the gathering, Deputy Commissioner Devansh Yadav emphasised that protecting children and upholding their rights is a collective responsibility requiring active involvement of government departments, civil society, educational institutions and the community. He emphasised the need to generate awareness at the grassroots level so that every child can grow in a safe, secure and supportive environment.
Dr Devansh Yadav also emphasised the need to strengthen child protection and the education sector in the district and shared his innovative ideas to achieve this goal. “The district administration is developing smart classrooms and modern Anganwadi centres to provide modern education to children” he informed. He directed the District Child Protection Unit to generate awareness at the village level and ensure that children’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation are realised on the ground. He also asked the District Child Protection Officer to assess the need for CCIs in the district. He appreciated the work of the National Development Foundation and asked them to focus on the subject of education for children including creating awareness on their Rights. The DC further stressed that such awareness and capacity-building programmes would continue to be organised in the district in the near future to ensure wider outreach and strengthen the community-based child protection mechanism. He also informed that Child Ambassadors would be identified to encourage peer-to-peer awareness and involve children in spreading the message of child rights, safety and protection.
Honorary Patron National Development Foundation Rajiv Kumar Khajuria-the keynote speaker sensitised the house in detail on the three-tier community-based child protection mechanism envisioned under Mission Vatsalya. He also sensitised the house on child rights under the Constitution of India and the UNCRC. He requested the District Magistrate Rajouri to activate the three-tier child protection mechanism by reconstituting Village and Block-level Child Welfare and Protection Committees as per the Manual developed by Mission Vatsalya.
The programme reaffirmed the District Administration’s commitment to building a child-friendly environment through awareness, community participation and coordinated institutional efforts, ensuring that every child is protected, supported and empowered. The initiative reaffirmed the District Administration’s commitment to building a child-friendly environment through awareness, community participation and coordinated institutional efforts, ensuring that every child is protected, supported and empowered.
The event was attended by the PO ICDS, Harpal Singh; ASP Rajouri Dr. Waseem Mehmood; DySP HQr Satish Sharma; officers and officials of different departments and general public.
