In order to improve coordination and close structural gaps in the child protection ecosystem, Assam Police organised a state-level multi-stakeholder dialogue on August 2 as part of its flagship Sishu Mitra programme. Strengthening institutional response systems and reinforcing the need for shared responsibility among all stakeholders in order to provide child protection, rehabilitation, and justice as required by law were the initiative’s goals. The Assam Police Sishu Mitra Programme, which was started in 2019, is a ground-breaking
project that collaborates with UNICEF and the UTSAH Child Rights Organisation to create a child-friendly policing system in Assam.
Just a few days back- on July 26, UTSAH- a leading child rights organisation in Assam had launched a dedicated POCSO Centre aimed at providing psychosocial and legal support to children who are victims of sexual offences. The centre was inaugurated on by Partha
Sarathi Mahanta, Commissioner of Police, Guwahati.
The Chief Guest, Judge Kaushik Goswami of the Guwahati High Court, praised the initiative, saying it is an important step in addressing issues related to convergence and synergy to guarantee that children who encounter the child protection system have unhindered access
to justice and rehabilitation. He further emphasised that everyone involved has a constitutional obligation to protect children; it is not a freebie.
The programme is in line with the Assam Chief Minister’s vision for children, according to Harmeet Singh, IPS, Director General of Police, Assam. He also stated that the goal was to establish a forum where all parties involved could have frank discussions in order to jointly
address issues that prevent children who encounter the legal system from receiving services and guarantee justice for all children.
The need for child-sensitive infrastructure and services in all police stations, courts, and service-providing agencies was emphasised by Ajay Tewari, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Home & Political Department, Government of Assam, while discussing the duties of various
departments in guaranteeing a child-friendly justice system. Senior government officials also gave technical presentations at the event, including Sanjukta Parashar, IPS, IGP (CID), Makhan Phukan (Director, Prosecution), Laxminarayan Nanda (Child Protection Specialist,
UNICEF Assam), John B. Ekka, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Labour Welfare), Mukesh Ch. Sahu, IAS, Principal Secretary (Women & Child Development), and Dr. P. Ashok Babu, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary (Health & Family Welfare).
In his summary of the departmental input, Surendra Kumar, IPS, Additional DGP, and Convenor of the Assam Police Sishu Mitra programme, underlined Assam Police’s dedication to promoting long-lasting, practical transformation on the ground. Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Mission, State Legal Services Authority, Judicial Officers, Special Judges of POCSO Courts, Assam Police, Welfare of SC & BC and Social Justice & Empowerment Directorate, Special Public Prosecutors, Social Justice & Empowerment, DLSA, CWC and JJB officials, Childline and One Stop Center staff, and other important stakeholders from throughout the state participated in the dialogue.
The state-level multi-stakeholder conversation would be formalised as a regular platform to foster collaboration and convergence for a better child-friendly and rights-based protection system in the state, the Assam police officially stated.
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