Governor launches action plan for children

Chandigarh, June 1 (UNI) Launching an action plan for protecting children from abuse, exploitation and neglect, Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gen (Retd) S F Rodrigues called for an active public-private partnership for various programmes under the plan.

He also called the involvement by every individual of society especially NGOs and social activists, in various programmes included in the document entitled 'Chandigarh Cares for its Children' released on the occasion.

A brain-child of Ms Jean Rodrigues, this programme aims to create a strong network for the sensitisation of teachers and principals, counselling in schools, communication with parents, helpline, child safety in slums and colonies, the execution of mal-nutrition programmes, providing necessary therapeutic treatment and taking other rehabilitation measures for the children in need.

Addressing the inaugural session, Gen Rodrigues said "this action plan has evolved after taking suggestions from different quarters including professionals, experts, psychologists, doctors and social activists".

He suggested the need to identify areas of work for different professionals and volunteers, to contribute effectively to give a concrete shape to concrete micro-plans to be finalised in the next meeting on June 21st , 2007. "This is the first step in the movement and our goal is to make it a model of child protection programme for the rest of the country" he added.

Home Secretary Mr Krishna Mohan, while giving background of this programme said "Child abuse is a horrendous reality that goes unnoticed, unreported and unredressed on account of the innocence of the victim, callousness or insensitivity of society and lack of concrete strategies and actions plans to identify and battle it".

He further said that with the initiative of Ms Jean Rodrigues, this programme focuses on the formation of self-help groups to provide unconditional relief and non judgmental support to the needy children and their families in trouble, to launch public education and school campaign throughout the city and to fight all forms of child abuse and child neglect.

Ms Jean Rodrigues, senior officers of the administration and representatives of various government and non-governmental organisations and social activists from different areas of specialisation attended the function.

UNI