LAHORE: The Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Punjab (CPWB) has planned to start a massive awareness campaign for their child helpline, 1121, service, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Pakistan Today further learnt that the child helpline was established by the previous government with an aim to provide prompt assistance and support to the children subjected to violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect. The helpline service was also aimed for the utilisation for the dissemination of information and guidance in respect of child rights.
According to an official of CPWB, “The child helpline is an endeavour initiated by the bureau for the immediate assistance of children who are in need of help. Child helpline 1121 is centralised four-digit telephone line and active in all offices of CPWB through which information and guidance are provided to the concerned quarters. It also plays an important role in spreading awareness regarding service provision to the destitute and neglected children by CPWB. Thousands of children have been rescued through the helpline service whereas the helpline is active and available 24 hours a day and seven days a week”.
“We are working for the improvement of helpline service and targeting the masses to aware them for this service and its working. The PTI government is working to ensure that children without adequate care and protection are not discriminated and have access to a quality life”, CPWB chairperson Sara Ahmed said.
While talking to this scribe she said, “We have already given the directions to the helpline staff to response each and every call and I am personally monitoring the status of calls. The previous government had not given the proper attention towards the awareness of helpline number so that the most of people are still unaware about this service and its working but we are planning to launch a massive campaign to aware the people about our helpline service. The Punjab chief minister Punjab has already imposed the child protection emergency in the province and we are conducting more rescue operations. It is the responsibility of everyone to inform us if they see any violence. We are taking proper action on every call and complain”.
She further added, “We have recently got back two Pakistani girls from UAE who were sent as part of human trafficking. The information was provided to the Bureau by Overseas Pakistanis Foundation & SAPM on Overseas Pakistanis. Team of Child Protection Bureau received the girls from the airport and has provided them shelter”.
“CPWB is also analysing the performance of different sections of the bureau on a monthly basis. Our government is providing the proper care, education and training to the destitute and neglected children so they can perform a better role in society. We are not providing them with only food and shelter but also impart education and skills to these children to make them useful citizens,” she concluded.
