Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida today emphasized the need for 4P proactive approach to address child trafficking in the State.
Speaking at a state-level Stakeholder Consultation on Eliminating Child Trafficking organized by the Department of Women and Child Development in collaboration with UNICEF, Parida stressed the importance of the 4P-Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, and Partnership approach to curb trafficking of children.
Highlighting child trafficking as a critical and sensitive issue, she said that the State government is prioritizing all aspects of child and women trafficking.
Shrimati Parida, who is in-charge of Women and Child Development Department, further said there is an urgent need to strengthen child protection laws and regulate children’s digital behavior.
In light of the current situation, she reiterated the need for a proactive approach in handling child protection issues, including conducting awareness programs and implementing a helpline for immediate response.
The Deputy Chief Minister called for the support of all stakeholders to join in a mission-mode effort to eradicate child trafficking.
Principal Secretary of Women and Child Development, Shubha Sarma, expressed that combating serious crimes like child and women trafficking requires collective partnership. She added that the department is committed to making every effort to prevent child trafficking.
The event was attended by officials from various concerned departments of the Odisha government, Chairpersons of district child welfare committees, district child protection officers, Child Helpline coordinators, and representatives from major non-governmental organizations involved in child protection.
Representatives from the Kharagpur Railway Protection Force and the State Police also participated in the discussion.