Taking the message of child safety and welfare to the public, the Puducherry unit of Childline held an awareness campaign on Wednesday, and also released the call statistics report from April 2014 to March 2015. Childline is a national 24-hour free phone emergency outreach service for children in need of care and protection, supported by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Of the total 427 cases reported to Childline, 84 cases related to seeking shelter for children. The report revealed that in 78 cases emotional support and guidance was sought, while 63 cases related to protection of children from abuse. The maximum calls (472) were received in June.
In the campaign on Wednesday, a team of 15 persons from Childline reached out to motorists at the Indira Gandhi statue, interacting with them and distributing pamphlets on the emergency helpline for children.
The team spoke about child labour and child abuse. Dressed up as a young bride and an older groom, team members sought to reinforce the message about the evils of child marriage. The team also educated the public about categories of vulnerable children. “There needs to be more awareness of child safety issues. We want the public to use the Childline number 1098 when they see children in distress or need,” said Sharmila, a counsellor at Childline who participated in the campaign.