6 days ago
‘Children should speak freely, we get to learn from them': West Bengal Minister Shashi Panja urges parents and teachers
Written by Debasmita Chowdhury
'Children should be able to speak freely. The more they speak, the more they will make mistakes and learn. We, as elders, also get to learn from them,' said Shashi Panja, West Bengal Minister of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, on Monday.
She was speaking at an event to held to celebrate Child Protection Day by the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights at Kolkata's Rabindra Sadan.
The Special Guest for the day was Sanghamitra Ghosh, Principal Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare. The event was attended by over 400 students, teachers and officials from schools and NGOs across Bengal.
Child Protection Day is observed annually on June 1, highlighting UNICEF's mission of protecting vulnerable children from abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking.
An official emphasised this year's theme by stating that according to reports, children and elderly people both have been observed to spend more time on their electronic gadgets rather than talking about their feelings or issues. Only 'two percent' of children in Bengal tend to share their happy moments and problems with their parents.
'We have been working with different consultants about mental health throughout the year and we try to understand the emotional state of children,' said Tulika Das, Chairperson, West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights. She requested all the parents, teachers and others present to give more importance to their child's mental health.
'We should create a safe space for (children) to share things with us. This led us to deciding this year's theme. Our Chief Minister has decided that June 9 will be celebrated as the Child Protection Day,' said Panja.
She thanked UNICEF for their active involvement in working for the welfare of children.
She also highlighted the importance of creativity. 'Creativity is one of the most important things – the ability to bring together your thoughts and channelize them through different media, be it theatre, art, journalism, or any other medium is very important,' Panja added.
The event saw the felicitation of various policemen for their dedication and work towards the rights and safety of children. This was followed by a series of performances by the students.
(Debasmita Chowdhury is an intern with The Indian Express)
