Caritas India believes in collective action with government and non-Government stakeholders working towards ensuring the rights of children. Amidst this ‘new normal’ while we are still coping with the Pandemic, we hope to build a collective synergy and take concerted efforts to achieve new hope, peace, and rightful childhood for all children.

It’s everybody’s responsibility to protect children from abuse, harm, neglect and exploitation. Governments, civil societies, communities, and families together play a fundamental role in realizing the rights of children to survival, development, participation, and protection. The government, both at the state and centre has an obligation to ensure a range and continuum of services at all levels. 

A close working relationship, information sharing and strategy building between government structures and civil societies organisations is key to the effective implementation of child safety net programmes. Indeed, children are best cared for in their own families, however, children too play an important role in protecting themselves from abuse and harm by developing their capacities on matters related to the rights of children.

Caritas India and its partners under Promoting Safe Childhood in West Bengal ‘Surokhit Shaishav’ programme, planned a network meeting with the health care provider and school administration. This meeting was organised in five districts of West Bengal –Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Murshidabad Uttar Dinajpur and North 24 Parganas on Child Labour with Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers, school headmaster, teachers and parents.

In district Murshidabad, Caritas India’s partner Suprava Panchashila Mahila Uddyog Samiti (SPMUS) invited Shri Bitan Dey (Joint Labour Commissioner-P) and Shri Chandan Banik (Deputy Labour Commissioner-P) as key speakers who aired their views on child labour situation and concerns in West Bengal and in Murshidabad District. The programme was attended by forty participants comprising of ASHA workers and school teachers and headmasters. Both speakers spoke about the government’s initiative on the prevention of child labour as per The Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986. They further highlighted the different types of hazardous and non-hazardous work listed in the Act. In his opening remark, Mr Dey said “Child labour is one of the most dangerous social problems. I don’t like when the word labour is attached to the word child. Poverty, our social system, gender discrimination, family disorganization, and lack of education are the main causes of the problem.” He further elaborated that though there has been a drop in child labour practice in India, in Murshidabad, numerous children are engaged in bidi making at houses, family construction works, and agriculture as well. He went on to accentuate that rescue is not a permanent solution for the fruitful prevention of child labour. The Labour Department is constantly striving at its best to reduce and prevent child labour through regular awareness programmes at different levels both with industrial and non-industrial entities. 

Speaking on different schemes under West Bengal Government, Mr Chandab Banik, Deputy Labour commission said ‘ people working in the unorganised sector can avail Samajik Suraksha Yojna, young students – girls can receive Rs 1,000/- per annum and Rs 25,000/- (one time grant) can receive after completion of her XII. This safety net created by the government has stopped young girls getting married before completing 18 years of age. 

 In Darjeeling, Seva Kendra Siliguri organised the same meeting for thirty-eight health staff of Phasideva Rural Hospital and twenty health team members of Sukna Block Primary Health Centre under Kurseong Block. Block Medical Officer of Health (BMOH) Dr. Arunabha Das along with his team of community health assistants, health supervisors, adolescent counsellors, para-medical workers, ASHA workers and ICDS supervisors were present in this meeting.

Ms Alisha Yadav programme coordinator was the main facilitator who went on to orient the participants on the rights of children under UNCRC, Laws and Act laid down for children by the Indian government. She elaborately spoke on the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015 and lastly on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012. 

Dr Arunabha encouraged his team members to organise a small awareness programme on child rights and protection at the community level. He assigned two of his staff members to conduct a session with Mother Group at Phasideva Block. ‘Be alert and be vigilant and take prompt action if you see any cases of child rights violations” were his ending remarks to his team members. 

At Jafargunj Uday Shishu Shikhalaya of Uttar Dinjpur District, 18 teachers, six village education committee (VEC) along with Uday School’s Headmistress Mrs. Seuli Khatun, Nayansukh High School’s Teacher in charge Mr. Swapan Kumar Sarkar, Baikanthapur primary school gathered to understand and take action on issues related to Child rights, more so on the issue of Child Labour.

We need to speak on issues related to children and must also know how to handle such situations. We need to be sensitive in our approach in handling children related issues. This session has opened our eyes and heart.  opined Mr Swapan Kumar, Teacher-in-Charge , Nayansukh high school. 

It is imperative that children’s needs are identified and they receive the services required for them to thrive. Kolkata Mary Ward Social Centre took a step to bridge this gap by organising a programme for ASHA workers on the eve of Rabindra Jayanti – 161st Birthday of Rabindranath Tagore. At Gacha Akharpur Gram Panchayat, 36 ASHA workers and 16 child leaders took part in discussing issues related to children, especially on health and hygiene, vaccination, and few other pertinent issues of children like child marriage, eloping and pre-natal deaths. 

Mrs Kobita Sarkar Auxiliary Nurse Midwife(ANM) was a key facilitator who vocally motivated her team to put forth their sincere efforts and contribution toward the creation of a healthy and happy environment and protect children from all forms of abuse and harm. She also underlined that ‘ we tend to overlook children with disabilities, as it becomes a burden and challenge for us, but it should not be the case. We need to understand, identify and recognize the challenges of such children and assist them also getting health benefits. If not identified, they risk losing out on health and education services which is essential for them to learn and grow like other children too.’

In Kalimpong District, school heads of Sindebong and Pudung Gram Panchayats, along with the community representatives also were present for the network meeting at Chandramaya Primary School.