The Tamil Nadu Child Rights Watch (TNCRW) has submitted a set of recommendations to Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to protect the rights of the children during COVID-19 lockdown.
Over 100 child rights’ activists are part of the TNCRW. Recently they discussed issues that affect children and their parents and came up with some recommendations.
“Many children and their mothers may be subject to violence by the men in the family due to withdrawal symptoms as Tasmac shops have been closed. But these children may be suffering silently as there is no one to access or support them. The State should extend and popularise the mental health support to the alcoholic dependants to face the withdrawal symptoms and lead to de-addiction,” said M. Andrew Sesuraj, State convener, TNCRW.
Besides, the TNCRW also wanted government schoolteachers to interact with the parents and children over phone at regular intervals and keep them engaged. The majority of parents were unaware of how to handle their children throughout the day, he said
The group sought a monitoring mechanism to ensure that the private schools did not force parents to pay fees during lockdown. “The children who had access to mid-day meals should be given dry rations. Free nutrition packs for children should be distributed through the PDS shops even without ration cards. Children below three years should be provided free milk,” added Mr. Sesuraj.
He said children with special needs should be given priority. “Therapy and support mechanisms should be made available to children with special needs. The health and psychological needs of children of frontline health workersshould be addressed,” he elaborated.
Another recommendation was to ensure that schools were not converted into Covid-19 quarantine facilities.
The recommendations also included livelihood issues of parents. “The Childline 1098 and Child Protection Systems in the districts should be made fully functional to address lockdown related child rights violations. We are preparing an action plan to tackle the child abuse and marriage cases that may increase post-lockdown due to economic issues,” Mr. Sesuraj said.
