Muneer proposes panel to protect child rights

KOCHI: Minister for Panchayats and Social Welfare M K Muneer on Monday proposed to set up a commission for protecting the rights of children in the state.“The activities of various departments, panchayats and NGOs would be integrated so that children get equal opportunities in the state,” he said, while speaking at a seminar on ‘decentralisation and equality of children.’ He added that model ‘anganwadis’ would be developed in each Assembly constituency of the state.Inaugurating the seminar, Union Panchayati Raj Minister Kishore Chandra Deo said that the state governments should take the initiative to bring together various agencies working for the welfare of children under one umbrella. “At present, there is no integration of various departments, though they are working towards the same cause. If Health, Child Welfare and Education can be integrated under the supervision of the panchayats, it could give a huge boost to development at the grassroots level,” he said.Muneer said that child welfare projects should be undertaken by all departments. Citing the example of the ‘Buds School’, started by Kudumbashree, he said that it was a major step towards the multi-faceted development of children.He further added that efforts would be made to bring more transparency into the functioning of child welfare organisations, and that the process for child adoption would also be simplified.