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

CHILDLINE supports sexually assaulted girl

In India, a child is sexually abused every 15 minutes, according to the latest government figures. A large-scale national study conducted in 2007 by Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), GOI, showed that 53 per cent of the interviewed children reported experience of sexual abuse and over 20 percent reported severe sexual abuse. About 85 to 90 percent of sexual assaults reported in India are perpetrated by someone known to the victim, as per National Institute of Justice. 

CHILDLINE came across Rakshita, 9 years old girl from a small town near Bangalore, who faced such trauma.  One day she was alone at home when her neighbour took advantage of the situation and sexually assaulted her. After sometime parents returned back home and were shocked to see their daughter in such a devastated state. They decided that they will fight against such crime for Rakshita. Her parents went to the local police station and lodged FIR against the abuser under POCSO Act.  Knowing the severity of the case, police decided to inform the same to CHILDLINE.

CHILDLINE got a call from a police officer informing them the whole incident. As the case was sensitive, same day the medical test of the girl took place and the next day, CHILDLINE rural team met Rakshita at her house. Rakshita was baffled with this whole incident but CHILDLINE counsellor did counselling to help her recover and ensured that the culprit will be punished.

Police along with CHILDLINE team caught hold of the abuser and got him arrested under POCSO- (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, 2012. CHILDLINE produced the case before Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for examination. 

With the help of local police, CHILDLINE managed to get justice for Rakshita. Today she is staying with her parents and leading a happy life. 

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

Reunion of missing Children with their family

A missing child is a parent's worst nightmare. While on an average 174 children go missing every day, half of them remain untraced. As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report 2018, more than one lakh children (1,11,569 in actual numbers) were reported to have gone missing till 2016, and 55,625 of them remained untraced till the end of the year. Many of the kidnappings/abductions end tragically in rape, assault and death.

Dheeraj (10 years) and Swati (9 years) had gone with few villagers to visit another village in Kendujhar district of Odisha. On their way, they stopped to eat but never returned. Villagers tried to find them but couldn’t hence they returned back to the village and informed their parents. After hearing the news, parents got shocked and started to look around but couldn’t trace their children. In the meanwhile, CHILDLINE received a call from a concerned caller from Kendujhar district, Odisha informing that he found two children roaming alone on the street. The caller informed that when he asked the children about their whereabouts, they could not communicate properly. Hence he called CHILDLINE for help. After getting all the possible details, CHILDLINE Kendujhar team reached the caller’s house and took charge of the children. CHILDLINE team informed the case details to the Child Welfare Committee and as per verbal order, the children are kept in a shelter home for a day. As per CHILDLINE’s intervention procedure, the children went through the medical checkup and counselling. During the counseling session, children narrated the incident and gave all the family details to the team.

CHILDLINE team got in touch with their parents over the phone and informed them regarding their missing children. After the standard process and enquiry, Child Welfare Committee gave the order to CHILDLINE team to hand over the children to their parents.

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

CHILDLINE rescues boy from being used as child labour

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.

Sahil, 15 years old, worked at a construction site as a labourer. He was from a poor family and had to work at a construction site to support his family. His parents had taken some loan from a labour contractor and in return, he was forced to work on a contractual basis.  He was working under hazardous conditions for long hours and was paid very less.

 During the Bal Niraksharta Rally (anti-child labour rally) CHILDLINE team came across Sahil and came to know that he works at construction site. CHILDLINE team immediately informed the Child Labour Unit and Child Welfare Committee and he was rescued. CHILDLINE team counselled Sahil and explained to him the health hazards of doing work at such a young age. Team also advised him to study further and aspire for a better future.

After the counseling, Sahil was produced before the Child Welfare Committee and then shifted to the temporary shelter. For the further process, CHILDLINE team visited Sahil’s parents at his hometown and they were presented before the Child Welfare Committee to give their statement. Basis of this, Child Labour Officer filed FIR against the contractor and informed the police to take action against him.

We are happy to inform that CHILDLINE rescued Sahil from the child labour menace and distress.  Sahil has started going to school and now happy concentrating on his studies and better future. He lives with his family and goes to school regularly.

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

Abandoned Newborn Child provided Shelter and Care

It was the day time hour and no one around when someone left a newborn child on the road sidewalks and ran away. 

While rushing towards his workplace, Sunil heard loud cries of a child. After persistently searching, to his surprise he found the same newborn there. He picked up the baby boy and tried to soothe him.  The baby’s cries continued making Sunil restless as nobody came to take up the child for quite so long. Sunil decided to take the child with himself to his house. At home, he was in a fix as whom to hand over the child and that’s when he decided to call on Child Helpline 1098 for support.

CHILDLINE received a call from Dhenkanal district of Odisha when Sunil narrated the incident to the CHILDLINE Contact Officer on phone. In a short span, CHILDLINE Dhenkanal team reached Sunil’s place and took the child under their custody. Sunil was relieved as the baby was in safe hands now. 

At first, CHILDLINE team took the baby to District Hospital for a medical check-up where he was kept for a day. Meanwhile, CHILDLINE team informed Child Welfare Committee (CWC) about the case over the phone and CWC member visited the child. With the order of CWC and CHILDLINE assistance, the next day child was shifted to a Shelter Home for better treatment and care. 

At present, the baby boy is in good health and is taken care of well at the Sishu Bhawan- Cuttack- Shelter Home. CHILDLINE was successful in providing care and protection to the child who was otherwise abandoned and had no one to care. Children without parental care are at high risk of abuse, exploitation and neglect. It is the outcome of a concerned caller who remembered to call 1098 and reached out to CHILDLINE for a child in need.