Stakeholders come together for ‘Child-friendly Lucknow’

Lucknow: In a concerted push to strengthen the child protection framework and advance the vision of a ‘Child-Friendly Lucknow', key stakeholders from across the city came together on Thursday for a multi-agency consultation. The dialogue was organised by Childhood enhancement through training and action (Chetna) in collaboration with the Lucknow police commissionerate and HCL Foundation, bringing police officials, child rights bodies, govt departments and civil society organisations on a common platform.Moderated by Chetna director Sanjay Gupta, the session focused on identifying gaps in the existing system, challenges faced by vulnerable children and ways to enhance coordination for better, faster interventions. Joint commissioner of police (law & order) Babloo Kumar reaffirmed the Lucknow Police's commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of every child. Stressing the importance of long-term collaboration with community organisations, he said that the commissionerate will soon launch structured dialogues with social institutions to streamline processes for children in conflict with the law.A moving moment emerged during an open interaction when a nine-year-old boy admitted he often felt afraid when he saw police personnel. Responding to him, Kumar said, "The police are your protectors. You should never hesitate to approach us. Whenever you need help, we are here for you."Deputy director of the Women and child development department, Pushpendra Singh noted that many govt welfare schemes for children remain underutilised due to lack of awareness. He urged NGOs to step in as crucial bridges between families and entitlements.CWC chairperson Ravendra Singh Jadon shared that the committee has supported nearly 6,000 children in the past few years. "If every organisation brings even five genuine cases to the CWC, we can expand our impact significantly," he said.Representing Childline, Jaya explained the 1098 helpline's case-handling mechanism and reiterated the team's commitment to assisting children in distress.