RAMANATHAPURAM
After launching a series of proactive measures and awareness programmes, Childline India Foundation, Social Welfare Department, Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and District Child Protection Unit (CPU) have jointly prevented 80 child marriages in the district between November 2016 and October 2017.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday on ‘Childline Se Dosti’, a week-long programme to make the citizens stakeholders in Childline 1098, S. Karuppasamy, District Childline Director, said they had rescued 94 prospective child brides by stopping their marriages last year.
They followed up the cases after stopping child marriages, he said, adding children who wished to pursue education were assisted to continue their education. In other cases, the officials concerned ensured that the marriages were conducted after the girls completed 18 years of age.
He said they received 2,426 calls through the Childline Helpline this year, compared to 1,825 calls received last year, and intervened in respect of 813 calls.
They also rescued 30 child labourers, 23 children seeking alms and 76 children who ran away from their homes, and helped them continue their education.
Mr. Karuppasamy said the officials also identified 69 school dropouts and helped them continue their education.
Childline India Foundation, with the help of the other agencies, arranged medical treatment for 40 underprivileged children, he said.
District Social Welfare Officer S. Gunasekari and CWC Chairperson R. Sakunthala said in coordination with the Foundation, they provided educational assistance to 136 poor children in the district and offered counselling to 24 children who had problems at schools and homes.
As part of ‘Childline se Dosti’, they would organise a series of programmes such as signature campaign, awareness through cultural programmes, inspection at railway stations and bus stands and training for self-help groups in preventing child marriages, they said.
District Child Protection Officer S. Durai Murugan and District Chidline Coordinator M. Anandaraj were also present.
