‘Strengthen child protection mechanism’

Srinagar, Nov 6: To spread awareness about drug abuse and explore ways to protect youth, The South Asia Centre for Peace and People’s Empowerment (SACPPE) organised a workshop here today.

S Umar Bhat, president of SACPPE, said that this was a capacity-building workshop that was aimed at brainstorming to save the most vulnerable children from the issue of drug abuse.

“Since June this year, we are working vigorously to contribute in the context of prevention of drug abuse and also to spread awareness. An important aspect of our efforts is to focus on the rehab of the youth who are involved in this serious issue of drug abuse. We have pointed out five hotspots in Srinagar, and the work is ongoing with stakeholders accordingly,” Bhat said.

He said that the program was organised in collaboration with UNICEF India and presided over by Principal Magistrate Juvenile Justice Board (Srinagar) Mainaaz Qadir. Child Protection Officer Srinagar Mukhtar Ahmad, Chairperson Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Srinagar Khair-ul Nisa and Zaid Wani from IMHANS, Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar highlighted different aspects of child protection and substance abuse in the district.

Among others, the meeting was attended by members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPU) of Srinagar.

The organisers said that the program was focused on enhancing coordination among various child protection bodies to ensure better safeguarding of vulnerable children, particularly those at risk of exploitation, abuse, and neglect. During the meeting, officials discussed challenges in implementation and shared best practices for improving the efficiency of child welfare services.

“We are aiming to streamline the response system and create a more effective and responsive environment for at-risk children,” officials said.

Meanwhile, to raise awareness about substance abuse among children and adolescents in Srinagar, SACPPE launched road shows and sound truck campaigns. The campaign, aimed at raising awareness and promoting healthier lifestyles, was flagged off from Rajbagh by Dr Khair ul Nisa, Chairperson CWC, Srinagar.

SACPPE officials said that under “Dekh Bal” initiative, sound truck campaigns and road-shows were organised to raise awareness and educate communities to protect vulnerable population.