New Delhi, Dec 13 (Agency) Enforcing the child rights in the county, the civil society organizations on Monday launched India Child Protection Forum (ICPF), a national alliance aimed at strengthening child protection mechanisms. The forum was launched by Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi in New Delhi. Noted social activist and former IPS officer Amod Kanth, who founded Prayas was made national convener of ICPF. Welcoming the formation of ICPF, Kailash Satyarthi said, “India Child Protection Forum is the beginning of a bigger resolution, a bigger pledge. The Forum has been formed with the objective of fulfilling shared determination, dreams and ideas. “It is a coalition of various civil society organizations that will work to end child abuse and child slavery.
The Forum will change the social thinking and policies towards the children and will spread the social consciousness. Through the Forum, we will try to build an India where no child will be exploited in anyway” he said in a statement. To deliberate on different aspects of child trafficking and sexual abuse, Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation also organized a four-day national symposium on Prevention of Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Abuse at Constitution Club.
More than 70 civil society organizations from across the country, such as Prayas, Shakti Vahini, Bachpan Bachao Andolan and Prajwala took part in the symposium. “Civil society members pledged to keep individual differences aside and unitedly work together with a joint strategy to ensure rights and wellbeing of children” it said. Highlighting ICPF’s objectives, Amod Kanth said, “The Forum will work towards providing social protection to children who are deprived of basic facilities in our country. “The number of such children in the country is more than three crores. We will try to get those children who are unable to go to school due to social, economic disparities, admitted to schools. We will ensure that children are free from any kind of abuse and exploitation” he said.