Unique initiative in the row, NCERT incorporates child helplines in textbooks

New Delhi, April 13: Sighting to focus on child safety and security and making new attempts to renew and amend the existing initiatives, another unique initiative has been brought up. National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has published information about helplines for children in all course books from Class 6-12, giving around 26 crore school children access to them.

WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi had suggested the idea to Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar last year during a telephone conversation.

 

 

"The National Council Of Educational Research And Training (NCERT) has published the information regarding Childline (1098) 24x7 Helpline for children and POCSO e-box on the back side of the front cover of all course books from Class 6 to Class 12. To equip the children with the information regarding the possible modes of protection and complaints," the ministry said in a statement.

 

Gandhi had requested her Cabinet colleague to popularize POCSO e-box and Child line 1098 through NCERT publications, screening of educational films on child sexual abuse in schools and having strict norms to employ the support staff.

WCD Minister, Maneka Gandhi thanked HRD Minister and NCERT for implementing her suggestion and stated that parents, guardians and teachers should remain vigilant about children as well as their behaviour. Any suspected situation should be reported immediately on the Childline No.1098 and the POCSO e-Box.

Through these course books, the information is expected to reach approximately 26 crore students in 15 lakh schools.

Childline (1098- 24*7 Helpline for children) services

CHILDLINE 1098 is a national 24-hour toll free emergency phone service for children in distress. The Helpline for Children is currently operational in 412 locations across the country. Childline received 1.45 crore calls during April 2016-March 2017 and more than 78 lakh calls during April -November 2017.The Child line provides assistance to children in distress either by way of tele-counselling or physical rescue.

POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) E-box

POCSO e-Box is an online complaint management system for easy and direct reporting of sexual offences against children and timely action against and timely action against the offenders under POCSO Act 2012. POCSO e-Box was launched by the Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Gandhi in New Delhi on 26.8.2016. Link of the POCSO e-Box is : http://www.ncpcr.gov.in/user_complaints.php