Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Tuesday inaugurated a five-day orientation training programme for the newly appointed Chairpersons and Members of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), reaffirming the State Government’s commitment to strengthening the child protection system and ensuring justice, care and rehabilitation for every vulnerable child.
Addressing the inaugural session, Parida said children are the nation’s greatest asset and emphasised that safeguarding their rights is a shared responsibility of both the government and society.
She said the Odisha Government is continuously strengthening its child protection ecosystem through institutional capacity building, improved service delivery, enhanced monitoring mechanisms and regular training of frontline functionaries.
The five-day orientation programme has been organised by the Odisha State Child Protection Society (OSCPS) under the Department of Women and Child Development. It aims to equip newly appointed CWC members with the legal knowledge, practical understanding and professional skills required to effectively discharge their statutory responsibilities under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
Child Welfare Committees play a key role in the care, protection, treatment, development and rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection, making their capacity building crucial for the effective implementation of child welfare laws and services.
The inaugural programme was attended by Dr Mrinalini Darswal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development and Chairperson of the Odisha State Child Protection Society; Monisha Banerjee, Director, ICDS and Social Welfare and Director, OSCPS; Sumitra Pattanaik, Additional Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development; and Babita Patra, Chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
The orientation programme will continue for five days, focusing on strengthening the institutional capacity of Child Welfare Committees to effectively implement the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and enhance child protection services across the State.
