JAMMU: The Department of Social Work, in partnership with the National Development Foundation (NDF) and UNICEF India, successfully organized a one-day national seminar titled “Empowering Voices: Advocating for Child Rights in the Contemporary World” at the Central University of Jammu. Shri Jugal Kishore Sharma, Hon’ble Member of Parliament graced the occasion with his benign presence and expressed his commitment to advancing child welfare policies at the national level. He emphasized the critical role of academic institutions in cultivating future advocates for child rights.
Prof Sanjeev Jain, Vice Chancellor, Central University Jammu also stressed upon the need of advancing research in child protection issues which can aid the government in the policy formulation. Additionally, Mr. Hilal Bhat of UNICEF India and Mr. Rajiv Khajuria of NDF advocated for the proactive convergent approach in spearheading child protection initiatives. Dr. Nancy Mengi, Head of the Department of Social Work at CUJ advocated for child rights and collective responsibility of academia, civil society and government and underscored the significance of empowering young voices in the context of advocating for child welfare and protection. The seminar delved upon the themes of Legal and Educational Rights, Exploitation, Technology, Health and Well-being.
The event concluded with the release of the "Field Work Manual" by the Department of Social Work. The seminar was well coordinated by faculty members Dr Vinay Kumar and Fateh Lal Bheel from Department of Social Work.This seminar provided an invaluable platform for students and scholars to engage in substantive discussions, propose viable solutions, and advocate for enhanced policies to protect children’s rights amidst contemporary challenges. It is anticipated that this will inspire ongoing research and action in the field of child welfare, both locally and globally.
