With a ribbon that read, ‘No violence against children’, printed on the black ribbon that was tied across their faces and with lighted candles, over hundred children marched from Kempe Gowda Road to the Chickpet Police station in Bengaluru on the evening of International Children’s Day, November 20, 2018, asking for protection of children from violence. The candle light rally was organized by BOSCO Bengaluru, in association with District Child Protection Unit, Bengaluru Urban. BOSCO had been observing a child rights week from November 14 to 20, 2018, to spread awareness on the theme, “Protect Children from Violence”.
The candle light rally was the culmination of the child rights week. “Violence against children is repeatedly happening all over the country as well as in our city. Stories about brutal acts of violence against children are becoming an everyday reality. This has to stop. We have to join hands and stand up to protect our helpless children”, said Fr. Mathew Thomas, Executive Director, BOSCO, Bengaluru. Dr. B. Usha, DCPO, Bengaluru Urban, addressing the rally said, “Protecting children from violence is the responsibility of everyone in the society”.
At its start, a group of children from BOSCO performed a dance on the theme of protecting children. The rally was flagged off by Fr. Mathew Thomas. Tulasi, Child Representative, spoke on behalf of the children participating in the rally. She sought protection for the child victims of violence in our country. She reminded Shri. Mahant Reddy, ACP, Chickpet Sub-Division, and the Society of Bengaluru about the atrocities done to children and asked for effective measures to safeguard children. Thousands of signatures were gathered throughout the week-long signature campaign to end violence against children and was submitted to Shri. Mahant Reddy.
He assured children that the police would strive to uphold the rights of children and join the civil society’s efforts to protect children from violence. Everyone took an oath to protect children from violence and sang together a song on the theme of protecting children.
Leave a Reply