A Conference on child rights to mark International Day of Peace 2019 was today organized by National Development Foundation (NDF) in collaboration with Directorate of Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) J&K with support of European Union, here at K.C Residency.Advisor to Governor, Farooq Khan was the chief guest on the occasion, while Mayor Jammu Chander Mohan Gupta, Retired IGP JP Singh, Editor-in-Chief State Times Raj Daluja, ADDC Jammu Tanveer Iqbal Mir, SSP headquarters Farooq Qaiser, Founder Emeritus NDF & Member SCOC Rajiv Khajuria were the guests of honour.In his address, the Advisor said that peace cannot be achieved without the protection of children, and to inculcate a culture of peace, rights of children must be protected. He said that child labour, bounded labour, child marriage, sexual abuse and children affected by the conflicts need proper intervention to minimize their sufferings.Khan said that child protection, their education, health and nutrition need to be given importance so that children do not work in fields but on dreams. He stressed upon the need to initiate an awareness campaign for wider publicity of child helpline numbers and child protection issues. He also appealed the people to join hands for the protection of children and contribute for their betterment.
Mayor Jammu, in his address, said that the government is relentlessly working for the uplift of poor and needy children including protection of their rights from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation. He said underlined the need to create “Child Safe” environment where children are respected, protected and empowered.Listing the achievements of NDF, its convenor Rajiv Khajuria, said that the organization is working in collaboration with various government and non-government stakeholders in creating protective environment for children free from all forms of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect.A poster with the message of stopping violence against the children and encouraging people to raise their voice against child abuse child labour, sexual abuse, child marriage, corporal punishment and other brutal practices was also released on the occasion.Earlier, in another function at K.L Sehgal Hall, Advisor Khan was facilitated by Print & Electronic Media Association. Many prominent and senior journalists were present on the occasion.