SRINAGAR: A day-long orientation programme on “Empowering Children in Need of Care & Protection” was Saturday organised by Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) in collaboration with the District Legal Services Authority Srinagar. The programme was held at SKICC.
Justice Ali Mohammed Magray, Chairman Juvenile Justice Committee, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir, was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
Other dignitaries who were present on the occasion included Abdul Rashid Malik, Member Secretary, Juvenile Justice Committee, High Court Jammu & Kashmir; Sarmad Hafeez, Secretary, Youth Services and Sports Department; Hial Bhat, Administrator Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Kashmir; and Bashir Ahmad Lone, Administrator Voluntary Medicare Society, Jammu and Kashmir.
Justice Magray while deliberating on the occasion emphasised the need for shared values in the ecosystem of the society at large. He was of the view that children with special needs or otherwise during their growing up years need the basic value system to be engrossed in their personalities. In this regard, all the government officials, teachers, parents, friends and relatives need to take the collective responsibility of the society which would inculcate the mannerism and the discipline among the children especially the youth of Kashmir. He talked about the community responsibility in taking a step forward towards incorporating the values in the society at large.
The chairman of the Juvenile Justice Committee also insisted on adding a nutritious diet for the needy children. He highlighted the growing menace of drug addiction amongst the youth of Kashmir and even gave out the alarming figures of drug addicts presently in the Kashmir valley as published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. He was of the view that drugs availability and the lack of accountability by parents is a serious concern today.
Justice Magray also stressed upon the officials to listen to the genuine grievances of the aspiring sports persons and to take care about their needs so in more and more youth are attracted towards sports.
He said that keeping the famous quote “As the Child, so the Nation” in perspective the society at large should take care and protect its children and advised the officials to provide adequate facilities to the children and youth of the city so that the Srinagar can be called as Smart City in real terms.
In his welcome address, the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, who is also the CEO Srinagar Smart City City Limited, stressed upon the need to organise such events more routinely to that self checks would be made on achieving the goals towards empowering Children who need our care and protection. He also thanked the dignitaries present on the occasion and emphasised on the collective efforts to improve the lives of the children.
All dignitaries also spoke on the occasion. They emphasised the importance of nurturing the talent of Kashmir and protecting the children from the addictive use of social media and other social evils. The participants were of the general view that a Smart City in real terms should have ample green spaces, amusement parks, skill development and entertainment facilities for the children and youth of the valley. Utmost care should be taken in providing online safety to the children and prevent cyber bullying.
The list of children who were “achievers” and have made the society proud in their respective fields was also announced and they were facilitated on the occasion by the chief guest. Amongst the achievers two youngsters Syed Muzaffar Ahmad and Kabra Altaf spoke about their experiences in life and how they were able to achieve heights in their respective fields of being an advocate and a sportsperson.
The programme was conducted by Adnan, Secretary District Services Authority and Tabassum, Principal Magistrate Juvenile Justice Magistrate Srinagar. Officials of SSCL including the Coordinator Rizwan Khurshid were also present on the occasion.
