HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, June 23: An awareness meeting on child protection and child rights, with a focus on preventing child marriage, was held on Saturday at the auditorium of Suryodaya High School in Gotlong village near Tezpur.
The programme was organised by the Sonitpur District Child Protection Unit in association with the Gotlong Village Development Committee.
Key speakers at the event included Abha Bora, Chairperson of the Sonitpur District Child Welfare Committee; committee member Manjula Phukan; Pradismita Chetia, Project Coordinator of Child Helpline Sonitpur; Rahul Gogoi, Sub-Inspector and Officer-in-Charge of Mahabhairab Police Outpost; Murjina Munnaf, Medical Officer of Gotlong Health Sub-Centre; and village head Deepak Kumar Majumdar.
The speakers highlighted the harmful effects of child marriage and stressed the need to protect children’s rights and ensure their holistic development.
Addressing the gathering, the speakers urged parents and community members to remain vigilant against social evils like child marriage and to focus on nurturing children as future assets to society.
They emphasized the importance of community awareness and proactive intervention to safeguard child rights.
The meeting was presided over by Atul Chandra Baruah, headmaster of Suryodaya High School, and conducted by local media activist Saidul Islam.
It was attended by several hundred villagers, school teachers, Anganwadi workers, and helpers.
During the meeting, all attendees pledged not to engage in or support child marriage.
In his concluding remarks, Saidul Islam informed the gathering that awareness programmes would be held at all 15 Anganwadi centres in Gotlong village during June and July.
Another awareness meeting is scheduled for August, to be organised with the support of the Sonitpur District Child Protection Unit and the Child Welfare Committee to further strengthen awareness efforts in the village.