Imphal, March 30 2010: The awareness campaign on child issue conducted under the initiative of Childline, Imphal since yesterday at Khwairamband Bazar concluded today.

During the campaign, women vendors brought up cases of nine children who are living in abject condition.

Covering the market sheds at Nagamapal Machin and Kangjabi Machin which are part of the Khwairamband Keithel, the campaign was conducted with the permission of Deputy Commissioner and SP of Imphal West district.

The permission, however, was valid only for one hour in a day.

During the campaign, around 15 activists of Childline, Imphal interacted with the women vendors on one to one level to educate them on the issues of children.

Women vendors also shared the issues related to children which are commonly faced by them and asked for suggestion on how a conducive atmosphere could be created for the children to live and grow in the society.

Apart from issues like trafficking of young boys and girls from Manipur after convincing their parents and relatives with false promise of providing better education outside the State, the legal implication of ill-treating the children at home, the problem of absence of a proper foster home for children who have lost their parents, the activities being taken up by the Childline as well as that of the role of Child Welfare Committee which have units in all the district were also discussed during the campaign.

During the course of this interaction, cases of nine children who are living in abject condition have been brought to the notice of Childline Imphal by the women vendors.

Out of the nine cases, the first case relates to a child who is being employed as a domestic worker but being ill-treated by the owner of the house.

The second case is that of a child who has stopped going to school for education due to poverty in the family.

The third case is that of an orphan who has been staying along with some of his relatives but being subjected to ill-treatment.

The fourth case relates to three siblings who have been facing stigma and discrimination after their HIV positive father passed away and their mother got married to another man.

The last case is also that of another three siblings who are being ill-treated by their uncle after both their parents passed away.

Talking to The Sangai Express in connection with the awareness campaign, co-ordinator of Childline, Imphal Mala Lisam pointed out that detection of nine cases during the campaign which was permitted to be conducted only for one hour in a day shows that there is need for conducting more and more similar campaigns on an extensive scale.

Childline, Imphal would be taking up necessary measures to ensure the rights of the nine children.

If necessary, they would be send to some children homes, Mala assured.

Informing that Childline Imphal intends to continue with its campaign, Mala explained that the targeted group of this campaign is mainly poor.

However, since they too have to go out and work in search of daily bread and income, they could not spare time to come and participate in such awareness programmes in the past.

So, the Childline, Imphal decided to reach out to these targeted group directly, she added.

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