Guwahati: In a significant move toward rights-based and child-friendly policing, the Assam Police hosted a state-level multi-stakeholder dialogue under its flagship Sishu Mitra Programme. The event brought together key officers, legal authorities, civil society stakeholders, and government departments to address structural gaps in Assam’s child protection ecosystem and reinforce collective responsibility in ensuring justice and rehabilitation for children.
A Platform for Policy Synergy and Field Collaboration
Launched in 2019, the Sishu Mitra Programme is a collaborative effort between Assam Police, UNICEF, and the UTSAH Child Rights Organisation aimed at transforming the state’s law enforcement systems to be more responsive to the rights and needs of children. The August 2 dialogue marked a major milestone in this effort by fostering cross-sectoral coordination and reviewing institutional responses to child protection.
Participants engaged in wide-ranging discussions on improving infrastructure and service delivery for children encountering the legal and protection system. The deliberations centered on scaling up child-sensitive practices in police stations, courts, and administrative services.
High-Level Endorsements and Strategic Inputs
Justice Kaushik Goswami of the Guwahati High Court, the event’s Chief Guest, lauded the initiative. He emphasized that child protection is a constitutional obligation for every stakeholder, not a benevolent act. “It is imperative that convergence and synergy be institutionalized to ensure every child has unimpeded access to justice and rehabilitation,” he said.
Director General of Police, Assam, Harmeet Singh, IPS, reaffirmed the programme’s alignment with the Chief Minister’s vision for child welfare. He noted that the dialogue serves as a vital forum to candidly address operational challenges faced by children navigating the justice system.
Ajay Tewari, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Home & Political Department, stressed the need for dedicated infrastructure and support systems in every arm of child justice—from police and courts to service agencies.
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Senior Officials and Domain Experts Share Roadmap
The session featured technical presentations from a high-level panel including:
- Sanjukta Parashar, IPS, IGP (CID)
- Makhan Phukan, Director of Prosecution
- Laxminarayan Nanda, Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Assam
- John B. Ekka, IAS, Addl. Chief Secretary (Labour Welfare)
- Mukesh Ch. Sahu, IAS, Principal Secretary (Women & Child Development)
- Dr. P. Ashok Babu, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary (Health & Family Welfare)
Each speaker outlined department-specific strategies for institutionalizing child-centric reforms.
Leadership Commitment and Inclusive Participation
Surendra Kumar, IPS, Additional DGP and Convenor of the Sishu Mitra Programme, underscored Assam Police’s commitment to driving tangible ground-level transformation. “Our focus remains firmly on systemic change that lasts,” he remarked.
Participants in the dialogue included representatives from the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, State Legal Services Authority, Special Judges of POCSO Courts, officials from Social Justice & Empowerment, District Legal Services Authorities, Childline, and One Stop Centers across the state.
Next Steps: Institutionalizing the Dialogue
In a formal statement, Assam Police announced plans to institutionalize the dialogue platform as a regular mechanism for convergence. This move aims to cement collaboration across sectors to build a stronger, rights-based child protection framework throughout the state.
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