A two-day workshop on children’s rights and safety laws was organised for NGO representatives in city yesterday. The workshop was organised by District Administration, Women and Child Welfare Department in association with Zilla Panchayat. It was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep.

More than 40 representatives from Child Welfare Wing, Women and Child Welfare Department, Rural Literacy and Health Programme (RLHP), Don Bosco, Navodaya and Organisation for the Development of People (ODP) participated.

Speaking on the occasion, DC Randeep said that amendments in the laws concerning the protection and safety of children have made safety of children a priority. He advised the officials and representatives of various NGOs in the field to have a complete understanding of laws. “Every child should be protected. Money is not the criteria for welfare and safety of children and we have sufficient money; even corporates have come forward to support us through their CSR funds,” he said.

Randeep appealed to the volunteers and NGOs to spread awareness against child labour, illegal adoption, child marriage and child trafficking. He also released pamphlets to facilitate this.

At the workshop, participants were briefed about child rights, trafficking, Juvenile Justice Act, adoption, child care institutions and the laws concerned.

Deputy Director of Women and Child Welfare Department K. Radha said that committees to keep a tab on child trafficking have been functioning at Gram Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat levels. They will be set up at all the 65 wards in the city.

Prasanna Kumar, Assistant Child Welfare Police Officer of Special Juvenile Police Unit said that instead of harassing or humiliating children committing mistakes, school authorities should send the children to a counsellor.  “Parents or guardians cannot beat and subject their children to cruelty to force them to study. Similarly, school authorities can’t make the children stand in sun or run around school premises as punishment. It amounts to corporal punishment and complaints against cruelty to children and corporal punishment can be taken up under Sections 75 and 82 of the Juvenile Justice Act,” he said.