CHILDLINE’s Nationwide Campaign Clicks with Children About CHILDLINE Nelson Mandela once said that, “Safety and security don’t just happen, CHILDLINE is a national outreach they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We 24-hour, free, emergency phone owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free service for the children in need of of violence and fear.” This aspect is reflected in CHILDLINE 1098. care and protection. CHILDLINE is now operational in 570+ cities, 35 As CHILDLINE approaches the silver jubilee milestone, it has been states and UTs across India, which ensuring the responsibilities by stepping up its sustained efforts to was initiated in 1996 as a pilot enhance awareness level among Indians regarding child protection. project in Mumbai. With the aim to ‘CHILDLINE Se Dosti’, a week-long national campaign was organised provide rehabilitation and care for recently by pledging that we could be true friends of every child in the children hailing from unsafe need of help with the aim to encourage ordinary citizens to be the situations, CHILDLINE reaches out stakeholders of CHILDLINE. to the most marginalized children. Sensitizing people from all sections of the society for the cause of CHILDLINE provides them relief child safety by initiating a plan of action that propels them towards in the form of shelter, medical aid, a much-needed change in thoughts and deeds, was the focus of the repatriation, rescue, emotional special initiative. support and guidance, etc. So, if you see any child in distress or in The ‘CHILDLINE Se Dosti’ 2019 celebrations with a wide range of crisis, Call 1098. activities convey important messages. From tying Dosti bands to stakeholders and distributing eco-friendly surgical masks for child protection, the implementation facilitated a direct connection with far-reaching implications. I Can Do Things You Cannot, To ensure safe neighbourhoods for all children and the betterment of “You Can Do Things their lives, Signature Campaigns to rail yatras, street plays to rallies, I Cannot; games to competitions for children and more such activities were Together We Can held with the pledge ‘Every child’s well-being is my responsibility Do Great Things. too’. In addition, awareness programs on child marriage and corporal punishment or physical abuse were also conducted at various locations. - Mother Teresa - ” ‘Suraksha Bandhan’, an activity conducted in association with the Police and Railway Protection Force (RPF) at various places CONNECT were notable among them. Several other memorable activities Log on to were also conducted. www.childlineindia.org ‘CHILDLINE Se Dosti’ 2019 celebrations with the message “take Write to us the pledge and commit yourselves to become a CHILDLINE Dost [email protected] in every CHILDLINE city/district in India” was bustling with such events and activities. Read on to gain insights on the activities CHILDLINE India Foundation conducted and catch glimpses of the celebrations held during those memorable seven days. CHILDLINE 1098 Happy reading. childlineindia1098 Until next time! CHILDLINEIndia 03 ILDLINE CH i Se Dost CHILDLINE Se Dosti was conceptualized back in 2007 Oscar Oscar Wilde once described “The best way to make children good is to make them happy.” Baltasar Gracian once quoted “Friendship multiplies the good of life and divides the evil.” These perspectives underscored the importance of friendship or ‘Dosti’, a simple yet far-reaching concept and its relevance for children. ‘CHILDLINE Se Dosti’ embodies the same concept, which represents a close, true relationship, one that can be nurtured over the years. ‘CHILDLINE Se Dosti’ was originated in the year 2007 with the largest expansions in the history of the organisation. The Government of India did set a deadline for the CHILDLINE team to create a path-breaking awareness campaign that would highlight the significance of child protection and CHILDLINE 1098 in 160 cities and 25 states. The ‘CHILDLINE Se Dosti’ campaign title was finalised after weeks of exploration. ‘CHILDLINE Se Dosti’ then got established as a nationwide awareness campaign and the need for child protection began to resonate with people across all walks of life. On Children’s Day, a multitude of exciting events organised throughout the country in which citizens from across the country were invited to take the pledge and commit themselves to be a CHILDLINE Dost. It is now a Pan India awareness and fundraising campaign. A week-long, nationwide campaign is held from November 14th to 20th every year. It aims at creating Dosts for CHILDLINE and is envisaged as a warm and inviting initiative to create awareness about CHILDLINE 1098. ‘Dosti Week’ is synonymous with fun, excitement and aims at driving change at local and national level. To involve the community by understanding and recognizing child protection issues, and being proactive in reducing vulnerability of children to risks is the basic purpose of this campaign. This initiative has been conceptualised with the hope to generate a million ‘Dosts’ for CHILDLINE and acquaint people with the CHILDLINE 1098 phone helpline and services for children in distress. 04 CHILDLINE Se Dosti A CHILDLINE Dost is someone who chooses to lend a hand to CHILDLINE to help the children in distress together. To be a CHILDLINE Dost, you need to be aware of the things happening around you, take action when required and call CHILDLINE 1098 to help protect the children in need. You, as a CHILDLINE Dost will be the ambassador for child protection. Take the Dosti Pledge and become a CHILDLINE Dost. 05 ILDLINE CH i Se Dost Message from the Executive Director Dear Friends, CHILDLINE Se Dosti is a week-long national campaign to make ordinary citizens stakeholders of CHILDLINE 1098 by pledging that they will be a DOST (true friend) of/for every child in distress. The initiative started in 2007 as an awareness campaign with the distribution of the “Dosti Band”. Over the years, it has become a popular nationwide campaign. This magazine is a glimpse of the activities conducted pan India during this campaign. I would like to thank all our CHILDLINE partner organizations, city co-ordinators, centre co-ordinators, team members and volunteers who have worked effortlessly to make this campaign a major success. I am truly overwhelmed by the innovation and creativity involved in the various activities of this campaign. My heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the Hon’ble Minister, Secretary, Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary and other distinguished members of the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Government of India for constantly supporting us in this endeavour. Our events and activities cannot be completed without the support from our regional resource centers, partner organizations, allied systems and the local district administration of every state. I would like to thank them for their continuous support. Finally, our team has worked tirelessly and with extreme levels of motivation towards developing a much stronger bond with children, the community and our partners thereby helping us create a safe environment for the overall wellbeing of every child. Thanks & Regards, Dr. Anjaiah Pandiri Executive Director 06 ILDLINE CH i Se Dost CHILDLINE and distributed CHILDLINE pamphlets DELHI and book stickers to the children. Health session As a part of CHILDLINE Se Dosti week, CHILDLINE Delhi team organised a health session at Rain Basera under the Safdarjung flyover on 7th November 2019 for the people of the community. The team spread awareness about the rapid increase of pollution in Delhi. The main causes of pollution including industrial emissions, poor disposal of wastes, mining, deforestation, the use of fossil fuels and agricultural activities were discussed with the people. The CHILDLINE Delhi team also shared with the Rally on Child Labour at Bhogal Market people about the importance of cleanliness and personal hygiene for physical well-being and a Signature Campaign healthy environment. Railway CHILDLINE Delhi organised a Signature At the end of the session, the team distributed Campaign in railway station premises. The program respiratory masks to the people to protect themselves was inaugurated by the Station Superintendent of from pollution. HNRS. During the CHILDLINE Se Dosti week, the railway officials and the stakeholders participated in the Signature Campaign program. The main theme of the Signature Campaign was to keep the station clean and to protect the children who are in need of care and protection. Most of the people joined in the Signature Campaign and took an oath to keep the station premises clean. During the Signature Campaign program, Railway CHILDLINE Delhi team also spread awareness about the CHILDLINE helpline number 1098 among the people through the distribution of pamphlets and standees. Health session at Rain Basera -Safdarjung by CHILDLINE Delhi Workshop on Child Rights Rally on Anti-Child Labour CHILDLINE Delhi on the occasion of Children’s Day CHILDLINE Delhi organised a rally on highlighting organised a workshop on child rights and child anti-child labour on the occasion of Children’s protection at World Vision India Organisation for Day celebration. The team oriented the children at girls from Sonia Vihar. The program was inaugurated Kashmiri Park about the rally route and slogans on by the Senior Program Manager, World Vision India child labour. The rally started from Kashmiri Park and and expressed that it is a very good initiative to via Bhogal main market and at the police booth of create awareness on CHILDLINE 1098 and its helpline the Bhogal market. After the rally, the children put number among the children. He also commented that up a dance performance and a street play on child “they are the assets of the nation, we must love and labour. After the street play, CHILDLINE Delhi team take care of our children and protect their rights”. spread awareness about child labour and also about CHILDLINE Delhi team also organised an awareness the message which the children conveyed through campaign on children who need care and protection.