SHILLONG: East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police M. Kharkrang on Thursday launched a ‘poster campaign’ of the North East Regional Domestic Workers’ Movement (NERDWM).
Kharkrang expressed hope that the poster campaign will be of great help for children working as domestic help.
“They have nowhere to go for help but with this they can now voice their grievances,” he said.
Regional coordinator, NERDWM, Sr. Tersa Salemthangi, said around 780 children employed as domestic workers have been identified in Meghalaya and the children have been organised into 20 clubs with each club having five office bearers.
She said that through the poster campaign, they want the government, courts and individuals to take necessary measures to ensure effective protection of children against all forms of abuse, sexual harassment and violence.
In addition, monthly meetings are being conducted in different places where the club exists and in these meetings, children are given an opportunity to share their feelings, concerns, issues and problems they experience in their daily lives.
It was informed that the NERDWM has also started working towards organizing, educating and empowering them through various programmes and activities.
The impact of such programmes is that now the children are able to voice their concern through various platforms.
The NERDWM also assists the children in obtaining their birth certificates, medical treatment and various schemes available for the children and they are also provided counselling for various sexual harassment, physical, emotional and verbal abuse.
Sr. Salemthangi also added that around 100 children employed in domestic work have been mobilized and around 780 are registered.
Altogether 178 birth certificates have been received for children, 523 children have been rescued and rehabilitated, besides 36 awareness campaigns have been conducted in schools and colleges, she informed.
She lamented that despite a number of special legislations for protection of legal rights of children, young children continue to be victims of various type of crime.
