Kid Glove 2019: An initiative to protect children from cybercrimes

Technology is all-pervasive across age groups today. Given the many dangers that lurk online, children are especially vulnerable to becoming victims of cybercrime. In an effort to create awareness on cybersecurity and sensitise children, parents and teachers, the Kerala Police Cyberdome organised “Kid Glove 2019” in association with CHILDLINE, Bodhini and Allianz Technology. Launched in 2015, Kid Glove is an initiative by Cyberdome, the technological research and development centre of the Kerala State Police, to create awareness and build capacity to counter and tackle the threats of cyberspace.

Dignitaries at the event. Pic: Cyberdome

The event was held at Nirmala Bhavan School, Trivandrum on October 11th 2019, and saw enthusiastic participation from over 450 students from across 35 schools. It was inaugurated by Loknath Behara IPS - DGP, State Police Chief, in the presence of Manoj Abraham IPS  - ADGP HQ, Nodal Officer Cyberdome, Jeevan Babu K IAS - Director of General Education, Dr.Achuth Sankar S Nair - HOD Dept of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Kerala University, Dr. Sr. Mercy Kunnathulurayidam - Principal Nirmala Bhavan and Raji Gouda - Allianz Technology.

Kid Glove 2019 sought to equip students with the knowledge to traverse the World Wide Web effectively while ensuring that they were taking the necessary steps to safeguard themselves. The event included an exhibition, and workshops and awareness sessions on themes such as protecting online privacy, responding to online bullies, basic cybersecurity measures that could be taken and more. A life-size version of Snakes and Ladders took the children through the dos and don'ts of using the web; the longest snake on the board, for instance, denoted the risk they were taking when they posted pictures online.

As part of the awareness sessions, the CHILDLINE team organised a talk on the topic, “Atrocities against Children and CHILDLINE’s Role in Helping Victims”, which was attended by 300 students.

A CHILDLINE counsellor talks to the children about sexual abuse. Pic: Cyberdome

A kiosk which had posters with information on the 1098 services was set up in the exhibition area. Awareness videos were also streamed from the kiosk for the entire duration of the programme. Every child who visited was also handed a brochure with details on how, when and why they could call CHILDLINE.

Children at the CHILDLINE kiosk. Pic: CHILDLINE Trivandrum

To showcase what happened a 1098 call was made, children could also call the helpline from a phone that was installed at the kiosk. 

Children dial the 1098 helpline. Pic: CHILDLINE Trivandrum

Considering the dependence on technology in today’s world, it is very critical to equip children with the knowledge they need to protect themselves from the various transgressions they can encounter. An initiative like Kid Glove can go a long way in informing children and building their capacity in effectively mitigating and countering threats or risks they could face online. 

CHILDLINE averts Child marriage

CHILDLINE  1098 received a call from a concerned adult informing about a 15 years old child in Dhule, Maharashtra. According to the caller, the child was getting married in few days and the marriage was arranged by his family. The caller was seeking help from CHILDLINE to stop the marriage.

CHILDLINE team after confirming the address informed Child Marriage Prohibition Officer. Child Marriage Prohibition Officer informed Aganwadi worker to pay a home visit to the child’s house and also to report back about the child. After confirming from Aganwadi worker regarding the marriage of the child, Child Marriage Prohibition Officer, CHILDLINE team, CWC member along with the Police went to the child’s house. The joint team verified the documents and found out that the child was only 15 years old.

Counsellor informed the family about the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and also about the effects of child marriage on the child. Child’s parents stated that they were not aware about the law. A written statement was taken from the child’s parents stating that they will not marry their daughter before attaining the age of 18 years. The parents were also informed that if they were found marrying off their daughter before the age of 18 years, legal action would be taken against them.

CHILDLINE team did a routine follow up on the child and found out that she was continuing her studies.       

Disclaimer :  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required. 

Runway child was rescued by CHILDLINE

During an outreach program, CHILDLINE Kanchipuram received a call from Tambaram Railway Police regarding a child runaway case. Railway Police Force (RPF) stated that they found a boy hopelessly roaming alone at Thirusulam railway station. After talking to him, they found out that the boy who was 13 years old had ran away from his home due to negligence from his own father, after his mother expired. The boy also stated that his father had stopped taking care of him. The case was handed over to CHILDLINE for further assistance.

CHILDINE team reached the spot same evening and along with the support from RPF,provided temporary shelter. Next day, the child was produced in front of CWC, and after considering the child’s situation, they ordered the child to be provided permanent shelter at Hand in Hand Poongavanam Residential Home. CHILDLINE team members provided the child with emotional support and guidance.

CHILDLINE team found an abandoned child.

A concerned adult directly contacted CHILDLINE intervention unit (IU) informing them about a girl named Raji who was 7 years old and belonged to a nomad couple. The couple had abandoned her in Thengal village near Vellore district, Tamil Nadu. She began roaming the streets and slept in temple during the night and it was noticed by a concerned adult, who requested intervention unit to rescue the child and provide her with shelter.

Intervention unit reached the spot as mentioned by the caller on the same day and found the child wandering the streets. The team produced the child in front of CWC, who ordered the child to be provided with permanent shelter at Deenabandhu Shelter home, in Walaja. CWC further enrolled the child in Government school. The child is now going to the school regularly.

Disclaimer :  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.  

CHILDLINE averts Child marriage of boy

While boys and girls who marry in childhood do not face the same risks and consequences due to biological and social differences, the practice is nonetheless a rights violation for children of both sexes. Similar to child brides, child grooms are forced to take on adult responsibilities for which they may not be prepared. The union may bring early fatherhood and result in additional economic pressure in the form of providing for the household; it may also constrain the boy’s access to education and opportunities for career advancement.

CHILDLINE received a call from an officer from Women Empowerment Cell informing about a child marriage. The caller wanted help from CHILDLINE to stop child marriage from happening. An 18 years old boy’s family were forcefully marrying him. CHILDLINE team along with the Police reached the child’s home. Meanwhile Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPU), Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Women Empowerment Cell (WEC) staff also reached child’s house. The Joint team verified the documents of the child and as per Child’s Aadhar card and school report, they found out that child’s age was 18 years. Counsellor informed them about the prohibition of child marriage and Prohibition Act as well as the health issues the boy may face due to child marriage.

Child’s family informed that they were not aware about the law and agreed that they will marry their son after he completes the age of 21 years.   

Timely intervention by CHILDLINE team managed to cancel the child marriage with the help of SJPU, WEC and CWC.

Disclaimer :  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.  

How to identify behavioural disorders in Children

India, a developing country has large population, of whom significant proportions are children attending school. Behavioural problems and psychiatric syndromes in the children are a matter of concern as the consequences can seriously impair their ability to become useful & productive citizens of tomorrow

In the present era where every day we are stepping ahead to technological advancement, with the increasing pressure in children to achieve, breaking up of the families and rapidly changing sociocultural paradigm, rise in the behaviour problems in children are also similarly steep and disrupting.

It is common for children and teens to get into trouble and be irritable or aggressive from time to time, especially during the toddler and early teen years. For instance, a young child may have a temper tantrum or a teenager may talk back or argue with you now and then.

Disordered behaviour is different from typical developmental behaviour because it happens more often than not and causes problems in more than one setting. For example, the behaviour not only affects school and home life but can make friendships and other peer relationships difficult.

Warning signs that your child might have a mental health condition include:

·         Mood changes. Look for feelings of sadness or withdrawal that last at least two weeks or severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships at home or school.

·         Intense feelings. Be aware of feelings of overwhelming fear for no reason sometimes with a racing heart or fast breathing or worries or fears intense enough to interfere with daily activities.

·         Behaviour changes. These include drastic changes in behaviour or personality, as well as dangerous or out-of-control behaviour. Fighting frequently, using weapons and expressing a desire to badly hurt others also are warning signs.

·         Difficulty concentrating. Look for signs of trouble focusing or sitting still, both of which might lead to poor performance in school.

·         Unexplained weight loss. A sudden loss of appetite, frequent vomiting or use of laxatives might indicate an eating disorder.

·         Physical symptoms. Compared with adults, children with a mental health condition might develop headaches and stomach-aches rather than sadness or anxiety.

·         Physical harm. Sometimes a mental health condition leads to self-injury, also called self-harm. This is the act of deliberately harming your own body, such as cutting or burning yourself. Children with a mental health condition also might develop suicidal thoughts or attempt suicide.

·         Substance abuse. Some kids use drugs or alcohol to try to cope with their feelings.

CHILDLINE rescues boy from being used as child labour

As reported by Save the Children, children between the ages of 14–17 years engage in hazardous work and account for 62.8% of India’s child labour workforce in which more boys than girls (38.7 million vs. 8.8 million) are forced into doing more hazardous work. Child labour used to be most ubiquitous in rural India in which 80% of working children found work.

CHILDLINE  team in Tungri Chibasa, West Singhbhum carried a joint rescue operation along with Labour Department and Police. CHILDLINE rescued 13 years old male child during the joint rescue operation. The child was found working in a garage in hazardous condition. An FIR was lodged against the employer under the JJ Act by Labour Enforcement officer in Sadar Thana, Chibasa. As standard protocol, CHILDLINE team presented the child before Child Welfare Committee (CWC). As per the order from CWC, the child was kept in shelter home for temporary period.

CHILDLINE team presented the child along with the child’s parents before Child Welfare Committee (CWC) again. As per the CWC order child was handed back to his family.    

CHILDLINE 1098, India’s phone helpline service for children in distress, rescues and rehabilitates thousands of child labourers every year throughout the country. Child labour cases have increased marginally by 11.71% during the year 2018-19 as compared to the previous year which includes mainly children who are involved in work at restaurant/dhaba, hazardous work, domestic work, beggary and sex trades. It was also observed that 77% of children involved in labour activity were males. (Figures recorded from April 2018 to March 2019)

Disclaimer:  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.

How kids should deal with Bullying

Bullying is a problem that begins at an early age and goes on until adulthood. Often, the victims of bullying carry scars of their trauma throughout their lives. Bullying has become a major problem in the school and college systems of India today. In colleges, ‘ragging’ is considered a rite of passage, where senior students taunt and ridicule junior students in the name of ‘healthy interaction’. The performance of students in these ragging sessions determines how they will be treated for the rest of their time in college. In schools as well, students often target their weaker peers, often making fun of them for disabilities, their physical appearance or their academic performance. This phenomenon has gone beyond just fun and games as it results in many fatalities either by the victims committing suicide or during an incident of ragging or bullying. Thus, the Government of India has come up with certain laws in an effort to combat this issue.

Here are some other strategies to discuss with kids that can help improve the situation and make them feel better:

Avoid the bully and use the buddy system: Use a different bathroom if a bully is nearby and don't go to your locker when there is nobody around. Make sure you have someone with you so that you're not alone with the bully. Buddy up with a friend on the bus, in the hallways, or at recess — wherever the bully is. Offer to do the same for a friend.

Hold the anger: It's natural to get upset by the bully, but that's what bullies thrive on. It makes them feel more powerful. Practice not reacting by crying or looking red or upset. It takes a lot of practice, but it's a useful skill for keeping off of a bully's radar. Sometimes kids find it useful to practice "cool down" strategies such as counting to 10, writing down their angry words, taking deep breaths, or walking away. Sometimes the best thing to do is to teach kids to wear a "poker face" until they are clear of any danger (smiling or laughing may provoke the bully).

Act brave, walk away, and ignore the bully: Firmly and clearly tell the bully to stop, then walk away. Practice ways to ignore the hurtful remarks, like acting uninterested or texting someone on your cell phone. By ignoring the bully, you're showing that you don't care. Eventually, the bully will probably get bored with trying to bother you.

Tell an adult: Teachers, principals, parents, and lunchroom personnel at school can all help stop bullying.

Talk about it: Talk to someone you trust, such as a guidance counsellor, teacher, sibling, or friend. They may offer some helpful suggestions, and even if they can't fix the situation, it may help you feel a little less alone.

CHILDLINE team successfully stops child beggary

In India, children work to earn money so that they can support their family. As young as 6 years old works on the streets or on the railway platforms. The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 states employing children (below 14 years) has been prohibited in all occupations and processes, with certain limited exceptions.

CHILDLINE received a call from a caller informing that the 7 years old child was begging in front of a Chowpaty stadium, Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh.  After receiving the information CHILDLINE team immediately visited the spot, rescued the child and brought him to CHILDLINE office. CHILDLINE team counselled the child and after some time he revealed that he was from Shahdol District and his family’s economic condition was not good. His parents worked as labourers and they did not have a place to stay and were living on the streets. The child wanted to help and support his family, so he decided to start begging.

In the meantime, Child’s parents were called and CHILDLINE team spoke with the child’s parents and counselled them. The child’s parents were not aware that their child was begging. CHILDLINE team presented the child and his parents before Child welfare Committee (CWC). CWC Chairperson counselled the parents and warned them if their child was ever  found begging anywhere, legal actions will be taken against them as per M.P Bhiksha Vritti Nivaran Adhiniyam, 1973. The child was handed over to his parents as per CWC order.    

How can I help my child heal after physical abuse?

Physical child abuse occurs when a child is purposely physically injured or put at risk of harm by another person. It may include any unexplained injuries such as burns, bites, bruises, broken bones or black eyes etc. In many cases, child abuse is done by someone the child knows and trusts, often a parent or other relative. A child who's being abused may feel guilty, ashamed or confused.

Resilience in children enables them to thrive in spite of their adverse circumstances. It involves behaviors, thoughts, and actions that can be learned over time and can be nurtured through positive and healthy relationships with parents and other caregivers and adults who guide them in healthy problem-solving strategies. Here we try to explore strategies for helping your child recover after experiencing physical abuse of any form by keeping in mind the below written points:

·         Have a positive outlook. When faced with a problem; show your child that the problem is only for a short time and that things will get better. Children learn from your ability to bounce back from and work through tough situations.

·         Ensure safety. Address your child’s physical safety first by assuring him or her that no one will physically touch or harm them in future. This will help your child develop feelings of trust and openness to psychological and emotional healing.

·         Address the past as the past. Help your child identify his or her current life that is different from the past. Make them understand that the past is gone now and future is ahead. Don’t talk about the incident repeatedly with child or with others. The details of the case should only be discussed in absence of child.

·         Don’t blame the child. Never blame the child for the ill happenings. Make them realize that the incident just happened and it was not their fault. They just needed to be preventive.

·         Provide care and support. Express love, empathy and support verbally and physically. Ensure care, attention and satisfaction of emotional needs.

·         Allow children to express their feelings. Teach them how to identify and describe their feelings and commend them for expressing feelings of hurt or sadness without acting out.

·         Protect them for future. Use this as a chance to teach expectations and personal boundaries i.e. limits set in relationships that protect our sense of self. This is required so as to avoid similar situations in future again.

·         Build Confidence. Help child to rejoin school, recreational classes or pursue hobbies and interests. The life should move on without break.

·         Build connections. Create bonds with friends and family that can support your child during challenges so that the social circle doesn’t hampers.

·         Be patient. Children’s reactions to trauma vary as widely as the types of trauma one can experience. Healing takes time so be patient.

The healing process does not always follow a clear, straight path. Time is the best healer and children are good at adapting to it. Soon your child will be seen keeping up with his/her friends, doing well in studies and day to day activities like before as if nothing happened.

CHILDLINE is a 24-hour emergency outreach service for children in need of care and protection in India. Any child/concerned adult can dial 1098 to access this service. CHILDLINE has been provided support to physically abused children from various cities/districts. During the year 2018-19, a total of 16,680 cases of physical abused were intervened by CHILDLINE forming 6% of total cases assisted.

A run-away child labourer restored to her home

Recently, CHILDLINE received a call from a reporter from Nagaon informing about a girl child being found at ASTC (Assam State Transport Corporation) bus stand. CHILDLINE team reached the place and bought the girl child to CHILDLINE office where she was provided food and further interrogated about her whereabouts.

Pooja belonged to a poor family and lost her parents when she was very young. She lived her cousin sister (a domestic labourer), cousin’s husband (a rickshaw puller) and three children. As the total income of the family was very less (only Rs 5000) she wanted Pooja to help them financially. Therefore Pooja’s sister sent her to Mr. Mehta’s house in Guwahati to work as domestic help. Pooja began working there but later she was tortured by Mr. Mehta and had to do a lot of work. Due to the tough situations, Pooja ran away from Mr. Mehta’s house and landed in Nagaon.

Understanding her situation, CHILDLINE team produced the child before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), General Diary Entry (GDE) was lodged at Sadar Police Station and she was shifted to Govt. Shelter home for a temporary stay. CHILDLINE team counseled the child during which she showed interest in going back to her home in Tinsukia.

CHILDLINE Tinsukia and Tinsukia Sadar Police were contacted to trace child’s home and Home Investigation Report (HIR) was received by CHILDLINE team. After a few days, her cousin sister along with the Police came to CHILDLINE Nagaon office. As per the order of CWC the child was produced and handed over to her cousin sister. CWC Nagaon gave direction to Tinsukia Sadar Police to divert the child to CWC Tinsukia for care and protection of the child.

At present, the girl child is staying at her cousin sister’s home. She never attended the school and showed interest to learn some new skill. With help of CWC, currently she is undertaking a cutting & tailoring course for 5 months.

The main motto of CHILDLINE was to do immediate restoration of the child. The continuous efforts of the CHILDLINE team members made it possible to restore the child to her home as well as ensure good care and protection for her better future.

How to develop child's emotional skills?

Since the time of birth children begin developing a sense of self and the world around. As parents bond with them strengthens they learn to trust them and feel secure in their world. This marks a development stage for future when parents help them develop socially and emotionally. By interacting with others children are able to form a secure relationship that leads to social development. Emotional development is regulating and expressing emotions. It involves the way one feels about themselves, others and the world.

A progressive social and emotional development is important that influences a child’s self-confidence, empathy, the ability to develop meaningful and lasting relationships, a sense of importance and value to those around him/her. Parents and caregivers play a major role in social and emotional development because they form the most reliable bond with the child over which he/she looks up to.

A person’s life experiences, genetic make-up and temperament can affect their social-emotional development. As your child’s first role model, parents should send a positive message to them and try being supportive by following the below written points:

·         Love your child and show your affection by hugging, cuddling, listening and talking quite often.

·         Encourage your child to try new things to make them aware of their capabilities. Let your child know you are pleased with their accomplishments.

·         Give your child opportunities to play with other children of their age. Help them explore their world and interact with other people. Teach them to develop kind and generous behaviors when interacting with other adults and children.

·         Show your feelings. Let your child see when you are happy or sad. This helps them to develop empathy for others.

·         Establish daily routines. This helps them feel confident and secure. Create routines that are predictable but flexible. This is how they learn to do things in an organized way.

·         Acknowledge your child’s feelings. Help them talk about what and how they feel about a situation. Comfort your child when they are upset. Talk in a child friendly manner by holding them and speaking softly and calmly.

Deliver positive social-emotional opportunities for your child so that they feel optimistic about themselves and can develop confidence. This is how your child will form secure relationships with others and ultimately will be able to focus, learn and grow in future.

CHILDLINE is a 24-hour emergency outreach service for children in need of care and protection in India. Any child/concerned adult can dial 1098 to access this service. CHILDLINE has been provided support to the emotionally disturbed children from various cities/districts. During the year 2018-19, a total of 47,642 cases of emotional support & guidance were intervened by CHILDLINE forming 16% of total cases assisted.

A girl child used for flesh trade rescued

 In India, there is a large number of children trafficked for various reasons such as labour, begging, and sexual exploitation. Every year hundreds of under-aged girls are unknowingly forced into flesh trade and used for making money. CHILDLINE came across a similar case at Bhubaneswar where a 16-year-old girl child repeatedly faced physical and sexual assault by a man who married her.

A young girl standing at Bhubaneswar Railway Station was accompanied by a middle-aged man and seemed to be in a wretched state when the volunteers of an NGO informed GRP about the suspicious situation. When GRP officials started interrogating the man about the girl, he got nervous and fled away from there. The child began to cry and was found to be in an emotionally and physically abysmal condition. Looking at the situation, GRP decided to hand her over to CHILDLINE for further intervention. CHILDLINE team arrived and the child was shifted to one of the child care institutions where she was counselled carefully.

After a few days, the girl came to senses and finally succumbed to speak up. The child informed the CHILDLINE team that she used to live with her father, a differently abled person and mother in district Jagatsinghpur. While the child was returning from school, she was kidnapped from the road in a Bolero van by a man named Pradhan (name changed) who belonged to her village, accompanied by other men and they took her to Chennai. She was shocked by the situation but the next tragedy awaited her when Pradhan and all his friends took advantage of the situation and raped her. She was also beaten up brutally and was seriously traumatized. Pradhan locked her up in the room and every day brought some people who used to rape the child in the room. Pradhan used her as a prostitute and used to collect Rs. 5000 to 10,000 from each person.

After two months, she met one of her villagers and returned back to her village with him. But, she did not disclose her brutal sufferings to any family members or anybody as Pradhan threatened her that if she disclosed the matter, her entire family will be killed. But the villagers and family members talked to Pradhan. He admitted that he kidnapped her and agreed to marry her as he kept sexual relation with her. In fear and apprehension, she got married to Pradhan. But she was again tortured by Pradhan and was used as a prostitute to entertain other men. She even tried to escape but failed. After a few days, Pradhan brought her to Bhubaneswar Railway Station where the volunteers of an NGO took notice of her, informed GRP and with CHILDLINE team rescued the girl.

CHILDLINE was constantly in touch with the child and provided emotional support to the child while she was at child care home. The matter was informed to the police station and an FIR was lodged mentioning all relevant sections under IPC and POCSO Act following which the accused was arrested. Currently the girl is kept at the child care institution by order of the Child Welfare Committee for better care and protection.

16 years old girl stops her marriage with the help of CHILDLINE

According to recent reports, the number of married girls in the age group of 15 to 19 years in India is down to 51% since the year 2000, the most impressive gain recorded by any country in South Asia, according to the Global Childhood Report by NGO Save the Children. Yet nearly 1.5 million girls in India get married before they turn 18, as per UNICEF. Despite this practice being outlawed, child marriage proves to be one of the worst social evils in our country.

CHILDLINE team received a call from a 16 years old girl from Mandya district in Karnataka informing that her family was marrying her off against her wishes. The girl was not willing to get married, so as final hope to get out of marriage she called Childline 1098.

After receiving information about the case, CHILDLINE team visited the girl’s home along with the DCPU staff and the police. The team made her family aware about the adverse consequences of child marriage on the child’s mental and physical health and also the law that it is illegal to marry a girl before 18 years of age.

After a lot of discussion with the parents, they finally agreed to cancel the marriage at the moment. Later CHILDLINE team presented the girl and her parents to Child Welfare Committee (CWC) with the case details and a written statement was taken from parents stating that they will not marry off their girl child until she reaches the age of marriage. But the child was not willing to stay with her parents, so she was provided shelter at government girls home.

Timely intervention by CHILDLINE team managed to cancel the child marriage with the help of Police, DPCU and CWC.

Disclaimer :  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.  

CHILDLINE team serves justice to a 17 year old sexual abuse victim

Every 15 minutes a child is sexually abused In India, according to the latest government figures. A recent data released by CHILDLINE show that close relatives and neighbours are the key offenders in most of the sexual and physical abuse cases in which children are victims. While boys in the age group 11-15 years are most prone to physical abuses of different nature, girls of the age group 6 to 16 years are most prone to sexual abuse. 

CHILDLINE came across a 17 years old girl from a small town in Hyderabad, who went through same incident. During school summer holidays, the girl visited her uncle’s place to spend few days. One day in absence of her uncle, a 41 years old man living in the neighbourhood invited the girl child to his house and sexually abused her. Later, the child revealed the incident to her family and went directly to police station to register an FIR against the abuser.

As soon as CHILDLINE got information about the case, they rushed to the spot to intervene further. As a standard procedure, CHILDLINE team presented the child before Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and medical tests were suggested by CWC. The medical reports showed positive for sexual abuse. On the basis of medical reports, police arrested the abuser and took him into custody.

CHILDLINE team provided proper counselling to the girl child to overcome this incident. The child is now living with her parents and is now healing physically as well as mentally. 

Disclaimer:  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.

CHILDLINE observes World Day against Child Labour

World Day against Child Labour is an event endorsed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) during which each year June 12th is dedicated to the empowerment of children against the peril of child labour, to create awareness amongst the masses on this evil act and enthuse people to stand up against the harm caused to children. The significance of World Day against Child Labour is important so as to highlight children’s concerns through the public, media and the civil society.

India is sadly the home for the largest number of child labourers in the world. As per the National Census 2011, there are close to 10.1 million child labourers in India in the age group of 5 to 14 years. Unfortunately, despite the judicial efforts, the number of child workers has increased over recent years, particularly in the metro cities where many children move in search of work with a hope to earn money. In many places, children are made to work in dangerous jobs such as logging, mining and construction work as well as exploited as beggars, household servants and even for sex trades. 

The sight of children indulged in some work or the other is very often seen in our everyday lives and surely to the extent that we have accepted the situation as ‘normal’ in India. Most of us put the blame on ‘poverty’ as the main culprit behind child labour and we think that children are only helping their parents in bringing in a stable income. But is this an excuse for these children for not being in school. Education is a basic right and we are failing our children by not enabling them to realize their own right. Many of the children help their parents at work after school, so what is wrong in that, one may ask. But this is how the children get deprived of their time to rest and play, all work and no play.

CHILDLINE 1098, India’s phone helpline service for children in distress, rescues and rehabilitates thousands of child labourers every year throughout the country. During the year 2018-19, CHILDLINE resolved 39,182 cases of child labour that constituted 13% of the total cases received. Child labour cases have increased marginally by 11.71% during the year 2018-19 as compared to the previous year which includes mainly children who are involved in work at restaurant/dhaba, hazardous work, domestic work, beggary and sex trades. It was also observed that 77% of children involved in labour activity were males. (Figures recorded from April 2018 to March 2019)

CHILDLINE has been unceasingly observing this day every year all over the country through various activities like organizing rallies, signature campaigns, pamphlets distribution and street shows etc. in order to alert people on the issue and motivate them to raise their voice. Each city and district in India bustles with events, activities and pledges with people from every nook and corner. CHILDLINE team urges all individuals to mark their support with an uproar of - ‘Say No to Child Labour!’

CHILDLINE saves girl from wrongful medical practice

Healthcare is the right of every individual but due to unavailability of quality infrastructure, basic medicines and shortfall of qualified medical professionals, healthcare services reach only to 60% of the population in India. To address the immediate medical needs of rural and marginalized communities, the government has appointed voluntary health workers who act as the link between the community and the public health facilities and are trained to provide first aid care.

CHILDLINE received a call from a small town nearby district Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. The caller informed that his 3 years old daughter needed a vaccine, but due to carelessness of a community health worker she was injected a wrong vaccine which caused a severe infection in her legs. The local CHILDLINE team of district Chamba, visited the child’s home to further address the issue. After checking the child’s condition, CHILDLINE suggested the parents to take her to a medical care centre. The girl was hospitalised immediately, and after undergoing a small surgery she started to recover.

The intervention was not completed yet, as the people from that particular area demanded to appoint skilled and trained health workers at the Community Health Care so that such incidents can be avoided. Under the advocacy of CHILDLINE team, an application was dropped to the Chief Medical Officer to draw attention towards the case. The CMO ensured that actions would be taken against health care administration and changes would be made according to people’s need.

CHILDLINE successfully restored child’s health back and provided better health services to the community.

Disclaimer:  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.

    

Minor girl child tortured, stepfather arrested

In India, around 10,975 cases of physical abuse were reported to CHILDLINE, out of which 5637 were family related and 237 were due to step parents, as per CHILDNNET publication 2017 (analysis of calls on 1098).

Pooja was living with her mother and stepfather. She was facing physical torture by her stepfather on several occasions.  Her mother was aware about all this torture but she used to bear it all, as she was completely dependent on Pooja’s stepfather financially and never revealed this incident to anybody fearing her husband.

One day local people heard poignant cry of the girl and tried to intervene. The parents did not heed the requests of local people and ignored them. The neighboring people informed CHILDLINE that the girl is facing the torture from her stepfather from long time. CHILDLINE immediately visited the place to verify the authenticity of the information. As the team reached the girl’s house, the girl ran towards CHILDLINE team and tried to hide behind them with timid looks.

Following the inquiry by CHILDLINE team, a rescue team comprises of CHILDLINE members and police visited the house and rescued Pooja.  Looking at her injuries, CHILDLINE team immediately sent her to the hospital for medical checkup. With the request of CHILDLINE, the concerned hospital provided proper treatment to Pooja.

CHILDLINE team filed an FIR against the accused i.e. Pooja’s stepfather under the Sections 341 IPC & Sec 75 of JJ Act 2015 and he was arrested.  The necessary support and counseling was provided to Pooja before she was presented in front of Child Welfare Committee (CWC).  Currently, Pooja is staying at Government Children Home for temporary period. 

Disclaimer:  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.

Two children found at the railway station given shelter

CHILDLINE is operational in 93 railway stations across India and has been successful in assisting more than 45000 needy children. This is further going to be extended to more railways progressively.

In August 2018, during a regular platform outreach activity, CHILDLINE Railway team found a boy (5 years) and girl (3 years) accompanied by a lady at the platform in a suspicious manner.

After interacting with the lady, CHILDLINE team realised that the lady is mentally unwell and she is the mother of these two children. She couldn’t tell about their native address or any other details about herself and the children. Looking at the circumstances, the CHILDLINE team realised that the children are homeless and their mother being mentally ill is incapable of looking after them.

In order to ensure care and safety for the children, CHILDLINE team decided to take up the case and informed the matter to Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police as well as further shared the case details to the Child Welfare Committee and Women Cell of the district. Thereafter, children and the mother were shifted to a shelter home for a temporary stay. In the meanwhile, medical examination of the mother and children was carried out.

Currently both the children are settled and have been admitted to the school for primary education in Calicut and the mother is undergoing treatment at the Mental Health Centre and recovering well. CHILDLINE team managed to give care and protection to the children found at the railway station.

Disclaimer:  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.

School dropout boy got back to school

During the year 2017, child labour cases have increased marginally by 6.5% which includes mainly children who are involved in work at restaurant / dhaba, hazardous work, domestic work and beggary. While in some cases children are forced, in other cases they work by their own will.

It was in the month of August 2018, that the state of Kerala was affected by severe floods, where in, more than 400 people lost their lives, property and valuables. The flood left families and communities with diverse negative impacts.

A 16-year-old boy named Aman was a bright student of 11^th grade in an aided-school of Alappuzha district. Post Floods, when he stopped attending school, his school teacher decided to approach CHILDLINE for support. On enquiry, it was found that he lost his mother since his birth and the father due to illness at the age of five years. Ever since then he had been raised by his grandmother who was taking care of Aman. Kerela floods left Aman’s life upturned and their house was completely damaged leaving him and his grandmother homeless.  They got a place at a relief camp where they managed to stay for a month.

To add to their crisis, the grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. While struggling in those adversities, Aman was forced to leave the studies and started working in a local bakery to meet basic expenses and medical expenses of his grandmother.

CHILDLINE team, as part of UNICEF supported initiative ‘Safeguarding children through increased protection’, met Aman and heard him thoroughly, understood circumstances and prepared a brief report of the situation. CHILDLINE team presented the report to the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of the district, recommending them sponsorship for the child. The case was processed and Aman was given a sponsorship of Rs 2000 per month.

Presently, with the support of CHILDLINE, Aman is continuing his studies and plans for a prosperous career. Grandmother’s medical expenses are also taken care and they are now living happily with one of his uncles

.

Disclaimer:  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.

9-year-old girl faced sexual assault, perpetrator arrested

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a pressing human right issue and public health concern. Sexual violence takes place in all settings: at home, schools, child care institutions and in the community. But never did 10 years old Safina (name changed) thought she would be sexually assaulted in a theatre while watching a movie with her mother.

CHILDLINE Malappuram team, Kerala, was approached by a social worker who informed about a child sexual abuse incident happened in a cinema theatre and the incident was caught in the CCTV footage of the theatre.

CHILDLINE Co-ordinator directly went to the theatre management and enquired about the incident and video footage and suggested not to disclose the incident or CCTV video footage to anyone else other than Police to ensure confidentiality of the child.

After checking the CCTV video footage, CHILDLINE understood that the child and her mother had been sexually abused at the same time. The CCTV visuals showed that the accused was sexually abusing the girl throughout the duration of the movie without any objection from her own mother.

While checking the CCTV footage of car parking from the theatre, CHILDLINE got the car number of the accused and collected his address from the police contact.

As per the information, CHILDLINE submitted a mandatory report as per POCSO Act 2012 to the police station. CHILDLINE team followed up with the police for further case progress details at different intervals thereafter. The police did not even respond nor have registered an FIR.

After a few days of the incident, a News channel telecasted those CCTV footages blurred video and demanded legal action against the accused and against alleged police inaction. After the telecast police registered an FIR and a middle-aged man was taken into custody. On the same day police presented the child in front of Child Welfare Committee and the child was placed to shelter home. Police registered an FIR against the accused and arrested the child’s mother for the charges of abetting and not performing parental responsibility. The accused’s mother had confessed that the molestation had happened with her consent and revealed the suspect was the owner of the quarters where the mother and child lived on rent.

With great efforts from CHILDLINE, Safina is now safe in a shelter home and recovering well from her past conditions.

Disclaimer:  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.

CHILDLINE averts Child marriage of girl in Tamil Nadu

Nearly 1.5 million girls in India get married before they turn 18, as per UNICEF.  Many of these girls come from poor socio-economic background and are married off at an early age.

Fifteen-year-old Sunita belonged to a poor family and her father had fixed her marriage with rich elderly person. But unlike other girls she was lucky enough to escape from the child marriage trap with the help of CHILDLINE.  

During an outreach activity, CHILDLINE team visited government high school to conduct a workshop and came across Sunita, 9^th standard student.  Initially she was hesitant to speak with the team, but slowly the team made her comfortable and encouraged her to speak.  After some attempts, Sunita revealed the problem she was facing and asked for help.

The next day CHILDLINE team visited Sunita’s house and met her father. Her father seemed to be a rigid man and CHILDLINE team firmly explained him the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 which stated that child marriage is a punishable crime. The team counselled Sunita’s father and made him understand the severe consequences of marrying off his young daughter to an aged man. After couple of discussions, finally, Sunita’s father was convinced and agreed to stop the marriage. A consent letter was taken from Sunita’s father that he would not marry her before she attains 18 years of age. The team was also successful in convincing Sunita’s father to send her to school.

The CHILDLINE team was successful in saving Sunita from getting into child marriage and was happy to see her smiling again.  We wish Sunita all the best for her future life. 

Disclaimer :  The name and state has been changed to protect the identity of the child