Dimapur, Sep. 17 (EMN): The district administration of Peren has launched an emergency 24-hour national toll-free helpline ‘1098’ for children. The facility was launched on September 17 in the deputy commissioner’s complex in Peren.
The facility will be a mechanism to provide services to abused children, child labourers, ‘emotionally and physically disturbed’ children, abandoned children, missing children or those who have ‘run away,’ updates stated.
The government publicity agency the department of Information and Public Relations (IPR) gave updates on Tuesday informing about the programme.
The Childline-1098 for Peren is stated to be an initiative of Rongmei Baptist Association Nagaland and Childline India Foundation (CIF), a project of the Union Ministry of Women & Child Development.
The “nodal director” for Childline-1098 for Nagaland and member of the CIF governing board Subonenba Longkumer said during the event that the facility aims to reach out to children who are in need of special care and attention.
“The main motive of introducing this helpline is to provide services to abused children or children put into child labour, emotionally and physically disturbed children, abandoned children, missing or run-away children etc.,” he said.
Counselling can be given through phone calls and so far in the district of Dimapur and Mokokchung, 620 phone calls have been received within a year. Nationally about 1 crore 32 lakh phone calls have been received, Longkumer said.
The official requested the churches, institutions, government and nongovernmental organisations to support the project. Likewise, he urged government and private institutions to organise educational programmes.
Deputy Commissioner Sentiwapang Aier, who launched the facility, spoke too. He appreciated the Rongmei Baptist Association Nagaland and CIF team for the facility in the district. He urged the team to “give their utmost importance and strive hard so that they can reach the required target.” He expressed hope that Peren will experience a ‘bigger change in the future of the children’ with the launch, the IPR stated.
