BTC-level consultation on child protection and inclusive education held in Kokrajhar

BTC-level consultation on child protection and inclusive education held in Kokrajhar

Our Correspondent

Kokrajhar: Nedan Foundation, a Kokrajhar-based NGO has been working for children who need immediate care and support in Kokrajhar district. To strengthen the network among children, Nedan Foundation in collaboration with BTC and supported by UNICEF Assam, organized a BTC-level consultation on 'Strengthening Child Protection and Inclusive Education in Bodoland Territorial Council' recently at the Central Institute of Technology (CIT) conference hall, Kokrajhar.

The programme was attended by Arun Kr. Basumatary, Joint Secretary, Bodoland Territorial Council, Prakash Medhi (APS), Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kokrajhar, Manna Biswas, Child Protection Officer, UNICEF Assam, and representative from different government stakeholders such as Child Welfare Committee, District Child Protection Unit, Juvenile Justice Board, Block Elementary Education Officer of three blocks of Kokrajhar district, representatives from Lower Assam NGO Forum and All Bodo Students' Union.

In the consultation programme, two district government stakeholders took part. The programme was inaugurated by lighting of the lamp by Joint Secretary BTC, Child Protection Officer of UNICEF Assam and chairperson of NEDAN Foundation.

Digambar Narzary, chairperson of NEDAN Foundation, gave a brief introduction on child protection as NEDAN is engaged in child protection work. "NEDAN has its unique working framework. With that model, NEDAN Foundation has been working closely with different government stakeholders as well as with the BTC administration and also with UNICEF Assam," he said.

Arun Kr. Basumatary, BTC joint secretary, in his speech said that child protection was a burning issue nowadays. "In BTC area we find many school drop-outs in rural areas and the reason for this is that guardians cannot handle their children properly. The government has provided an opportunity for free and compulsory education to children but because of lack of good parenting, children drop out from educational institutions," he said.

Manna Biswas, Child Protection Officer, UNICEF Assam, said that child protection was not only giving response to children when they needed it, rather child protection was giving response before children needed it to protect them from a vulnerable situation. He also elaborated some government schemes related to child protection. He also said that the Government of Assam had recognized village-level child protection committee and block-level child protection committee.

Prakash Medhi, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Kokrajhar, said that in Kokrajhar district child-related cases had been reported less in the last four years. Only 26 cases of child- related issues had been registered in Kokrajhar district. He encouraged the Child Protection Committee to give complaints in the police station so that culprits could be punished as per law.

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