Bravery awards for 31 kids for upholding child rights
Times of India | 22 November 2024
123 Kolkata: Thirty-one children received 30 bravery awards — Birangana and Birpurush — for upholding child rights at a programme held in the city on Thursday.
Tales of resilience and celebration of children's courage resounded through the programme at Rabindra Sadan organised by the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights on the occasion of International Child Rights Day.
Among the awardees were children as young as six years old who saved a kid from drowning, students who scored exceptionally good marks while overcoming disabilities and teens who either stopped trafficking of a girl or thwarted child marriage.
"We saw a young child drowning while going to school. We did not think twice but jumped into the pond and dragged the child out," said class II students Dharma Mal and Joyshree Mondal from Howrah.
A young girl — class VIII student — from North 24 Parganas showed exemplary mental strength when she thwarted her own marriage by calling Childline.
Another girl from East Midnapore, who was forced into marriage by her brother with a 28-year-old man, became a victim of domestic violence. She called Child Help Desk, which she learned from a school workshop, and was rescued by cops. She resumed her studies and is gradually getting back to normal life.
A class XI student from South 24 Parganas said, "I left home with a young man whom I met online. After enduring mental and physical abuse for months, I returned home in a devastated condition. I realised my mistake and wanted to resume studies again. I performed well in my Class X exams and want to become an OT technician." The teenager, along with her team, now spreads awareness among kids against child marriage.
A class VIII girl from East Midnapore became pregnant after being sexually assaulted by a neighbour. With administrative help, she underwent an abortion and overcame the situation.
Chairperson of WBCPCR, Tulika Das, said, "It is important to highlight journey of these kids who have fought disabilities, broken stereotypes and showed resilience by protesting against child marriage and stopping trafficking." Minister of department of women and child development and social welfare, Sashi Panja, sent a virtual message on protecting child rights and safeguarding their future.