A virtual resource centre (‘www.childprotectioninfo.in’) to provide information about service providers in the field of child protection has been launched by a consortium of NGOs comprising ‘Terre des hommes Foundation’, IMPACT and HELP.
The centre is one-stop site to access all relevant information about government and non-governmental service providers related to child protection and anti-trafficking, Manish Subharwal from IMPACT said on Friday while demonstrating the website.
State-wise contact details of government departments and institutions working for child protection including Juvenile Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees, police, shelter homes, child adoption agencies, and NGOs, among others, for 13 states are displayed on the website. The states are Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat and Kerala.
In addition, various documents including court judgements, policies, acts, directives, government orders, training manuals, and research papers relevant to child protection are made available in downloadable format, Mr.Subharwal informed. Besides, blog space will enable information exchange, and legal queries will be answered online.
Apart from the website, a special app has been created for smart phones, which provides access to the website and its features. Member, State Human Rights Commission, K. Pedda Peri Reddy said children and women constituted vast jurisdiction, rendering it a huge task for the inadequate government machinery to serve them. If officials abide by the rules, much can be achieved, he noted.
Former IGP Umapathi observed that majority of the policemen are ignorant of the amendments made to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and suggested that they be included in the police manuals, and articles be written in magazines circulated in the department.
Networking of the police stations in the country, and involvement of judiciary and prosecutors will go a long way in changing the situation.
Chairperson of State Women’s Commission T.Venkataratnam accused the police of laxity in registering cases when it came to child abuse.
