UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra earlier today took to Twitter to share an important message about children’s safety. In the tweet, she called child abuse “simply unacceptable” and wrote that it is our collective responsibility as a society to safeguard the innocence of all the children around us no matter what social class or status they come from.
“The innocence of a child is so fragile, and the responsibility to protect that is one of paramount importance. Having personally heard so many horror stories, there are too many children who have endured the worst of humanity, and this is simply unacceptable. You can help stop the abuse…dial 1098 (India) to report it. Protect our children #Childline,” she wrote in her tweet.
Priyanka shared her tweet as a response to a video posted by Smriti Irani, the Minister of Women and Child Development, India. The actor-turned-politician had shared the impactful video with a message last week. “Don’t be a mute spectator to child abuse. Speak up & initiate action. Dial 1098 #Childline. Let our children know there is a system that seeks to protect, rescue & rehabilitate them. Video courtesy @shekharkapur @arrahman @kaur_bhanupreet @sarthak_johar,” she had written in her tweet.
Here the video:
A survey shared by Child Rights and You (CRY) in May this year stated that while not directly affected by the coronavirus, children have been taking the brunt of this pandemic through their mental and psychological well-being.
“Even though children have not been the face of this pandemic as they have largely been spared of the direct health effects of Covid-19 so far, findings of the study indicate that they have been among its biggest victims with multiple side-effects on their physical and psycho-social well-being,” shared Puja Marwaha, the chief executive officer of CRY in a media statement.
Now add to this the fact that most of the marginalised children will have no access to educational resources or economic safety during the lockdown, and you’ll understand why it is important to be cognizant of each and every child’s well-being around us. That said, children from relatively affluent economic backgrounds are not to be included either. This pandemic has impacted so many on a psychological level and children are most susceptible to this kind of stress. Thus, recognise that the children around you might not be doing alright even if it appears otherwise, take charge, and help them out of the mire. Like Priyanka says, the innocence of children is fragile and they don’t have to take the brunt of this crisis.
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