BHOPAL (Madhya Pradesh): Department of higher education minister Mohan Yadav has said child protection issues will become part of education. Yadav made the statement at the launch of ëAagaz-Voices for Child Protectioní at Palash Hotel in the city on Thursday.† The minister further said ìEducation of young girls and boys in colleges and universities will be ensured, by integrating child protection and gender rights modules into higher education curriculumî.
The key objective of the Aagaz is to visibilise child rights violations in the context of Covid-19 and enable preventive and rehabilitative actions for children; promote the participation of adolescents and youth and develop a cadre of young girls and boys as Ambassadors of Child Rights.
Additional director general for training, MP police- Anuradha Shankar focused on leadership of youth in bringing about social changes, emphasising ìthe need for young people to be role models themselves to facilitate social change".
Principal Secretary, Higher Education, Anupam Rajan said that colleges and universities are key vehicles for bringing about change and that key activities will be identified for roll out across all universities and colleges on childrenís protection.
Chief of UNICEF, MP, Margaret Gwada who took part in the event virtually, recommended All the students should be conversant with provisions of POCSO act, and develop the culture of protecting children and respecting women; MP Government ought to notify the child protection policy for Madhya Pradesh and begin its implantation, and continuous capacity building of functionaries should be in place to protect children and women.
Ramanwal of DWCD assured that while UNICEF will roll out Aagaz in 7-8 districts, the department will launch the programme across all the districts in the state. The Minister and other dignitaries also launched Aagazmulti media van.
"Aagaz-Voices for Child Protection launched in 8 districts"
Aagaz-Voices for Child Protection expects to achieve far reaching results for children and women ñ reach out to 50 lakh community members with key child and gender rights messages across the state; reduce violence against children by 5% in the state; develop 235 child rights ambassadors in the state through internship programmes. The programme will be running till the end of 2021. The programme was simultaneously launched in 8 districts - Damoh, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Jabua, Alirajpur, Dhar and Indore. NGO partners for the programme include Aarambh, Muskan, MAMTA, Udayan Care, Uday Society, Aawaj and NIWCYD-Bachpan.
