By Roshni Ekka
Bhubaneswar, March 1, 2019: Catholic Church in Odisha has joined other groups to prevent violence against women and girl children in the eastern Indian state.
The Odisha Regional Organisation for Social Action (OROSA) organized a meeting to foster the participation and dialogue among government officials, members of civil society organizations, scientific and academic communities, so as to promote sustainable policies for preventing violence against women and girl children and address gaps in educational facilities in schools in the state.
OROSA is the social work coordinating body of six Catholic dioceses under the aegis of Odisha Regional Catholic Bishops’ Council.
More than 80 participants on Feb 26 attended the State level child convention at Centre for Youth and Social Development, Bhubaneswar,.
It was an opportunity to create awareness of issues related to women and children and minority scholarship at the highest level for their solution, and thus promote better policy of secure care and protection of venerable women, children and students at grassroots, local, regional, state and national level, said Prasant Kumar Rout, Child line coordinator from Baliapal, who addressed the gathering.
Pragnya Bastia from women help line center in the state capital of Bhubaneswa, spoke on Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, Child Marriage Act, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, good touch and bad touch.
Probodh Kumar Pandey, coordinator of Children First project, shared on Minority scholarship and its challenges during online process of pre and post matric scholarship.
Speaking on the occasion, the dignitaries said that violence against women and girl children in today’s society seems to be a normal course of action. However every child has the right to protection and education. This not only includes children who are in different circumstances and those who have suffered violence, abuse and exploitation, but also those who are not in any of these adverse situations and yet need to be protected in order to ensure that they remain within the social security and protection net, said Father John Kerketta, OROSA director.
Child protection is about protecting children from or against any perceived or real danger/risk to their life, their person-hood and childhood. It is about reducing their vulnerable to any kind of harm and in harmful situations, said Jugal Kishor Ranjit, manager of OROSA.
Several school students participated in the event and shared their views and difficulties they are facing in their day to day life, like lack of class rooms and teachers and other facilities which come under Right To Education, he added.
Speaking about the solution to the prevailing violence against the girls, a panelist said that child focused culture has to be developed. The legal system should interpret the laws in the context of the rights. This would give girl child access to justice through the court system.
All the children’s legislation needs to be reviewed in the context of care and protection. The Indian legal system has to evolve a great deal for securing the rights of the child and providing justice to the child.
OROSA is taking bold steps to capture unexpected moment in which women and girl children of our state especially Dalits, Adivasis, Minority and other back ward section women and girl children are becoming victims of various forms of violence and coming out with fact finding.
Through lobby and advocacy, OROSA is also keeping duty bearers alert on issues. This convention was one of steps toward this, said Ranjit, a human rights activist.