WCD Ministry has prepared proposal to strengthen child protection services: Smriti Irani

The Women and Child Development Ministry has prepared a proposal to strengthen child protection services in every district of the country, Union Minister Smriti Irani said on September 30.

Speaking at the Right Start Summit organised by Save the Children, Irani stressed that child protection services need to be emboldened and encouraged and it is the "endeavour" of the Modi government to work in this direction.

"Anoyara (a survivor of trafficking and child rights activist) was of the opinion that in every district we need child protection services to be emboldened, encouraged and strengthened and as a minister today I shall publicly announce that it is exactly the endeavour of the Modi government," she said, adding a proposal in this regard is likely to be moved during the next Parliament session.

Anoyara was one of the children who were felicitated at the event for her work towards protection of child rights. They have themselves faced difficult circumstances, including trafficking and abuse among others.

Irani said the WCD ministry in conjunction with state governments has received information of close to 20 crore activities across the country in just one month towards fighting malnutrition.

"It means that when the government and people come together anything could be accomplished," she said.

Underlining that the right start for any democracy is "of the people, by the people and for the children", Irani called upon child rights organisations to join hands to support the ministry's commitment to strengthen and recognise initiatives for children across the country.

Save the Children celebrated its 100th anniversary at the summit which is a culmination of a month-long programmes that engaged children from across states to create a strong discourse on having a right start in their early years through better nutrition and early education.