In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR) has come up with a proposal to create a pool of one lakh child rights ambassadors across all schools in the State.
The scheme will be implemented in association with the Student Police Cadet (SPC) programme.
“The SPC is said to have about one lakh volunteers across schools in the State. All of them will be turned into child rights ambassadors by imparting them training in children’s rights and responsibilities. We have already held two rounds of consultations with the police in this regard,” K.V. Manoj Kumar, chairperson, KeSCPCR, told The Hindu on the sidelines of a workshop held here on Saturday.
The training module for the programme is being fine-tuned. Once the module is finalised, training will be imparted to teachers, mostly by December, in charge of the SPC in schools across the State.
The KeSCPCR feels that the novel initiative will convey the right message and help to make children stakeholders in effective propagation of children’s rights and responsibilities among the targeted community.
The move assumes significance especially in the wake of various social evils, including drug menace, targeting the student community. The child rights ambassadors would be entrusted with reporting any atrocity directed against children and identifying issues affecting the children, said Mr. Kumar.
The child right ambassadors has emerged as just one of a slew of programmes being proposed by the KeSCPCR. The agency is in the process of finalising another training module for Kudumbashree members on good and democratic parenting. This training is also likely to be conducted by December.
“As part of the initiative, 15 resource persons of Kudumbashree from each district will be chosen and given training at the State level. They will then return and train the Kudumbashree members, with the larger goal being instilling good and democratic parenting lessons at the grassroots level,” said Mr. Kumar.
In yet another initiative, selected teachers drawn from schools across the State have been given a two-day training on their role and responsibility with regard to children’s protection and safety. A module was drawn up laying down the role of teachers based on the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and four major principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
