Underlining the importance of child protection and enforcement of various laws meant to protect them, B.G. Dinesh Kumar, member secretary of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), said that child protection was everyone’s responsibility.He was speaking at a one-day workshop for district and taluk-level officers from all the districts in the Mysuru division. The workshop focussed on the roles of officers in enforcing laws such as the Right to Education Act, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act), and the Prevention of Beggary Act.The workshop was held at the KSOU auditorium in collaboration with the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, district administration, Zilla Panchayat, DLSA, Department of Police, District Child Protection Unit, KSOU, and others.Mr. Dinesh Kumar also underlined the role of the police and other government departments in child protection and touched upon various laws in force for their welfare. However, he pointed out that though laws are based on humanitarian values, the enforcement of these laws depends on the willpower of those who implement them. Everyone must work responsibly to prevent occurrences of child marriage, begging, and sexual violence, he said.Mr. Dinesh Kumar emphasised that authorities should engage in continuous efforts in their daily work, rather than conducting operations only when prompted or for a single day.Pointing out that remaining silent despite the knowledge of a child being abused or exploited amounted to a crime, Mr. Dinesh Kumar said that one has to immediately report it to the relevant authorities. “We must act swiftly in cases of child marriage, sexual abuse, or other such incidents,” he added.The president of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, K. Naganna Gowda, spoke about the power granted to various government officials, such as village accountants and school principals, to prevent child marriages.However, despite these powers, child marriages continue to occur, he said and pointed out that steps are being taken to prevent such incidents with the help of ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, and teachers.Underlining the pressure that children face in the present times to score more marks and perform well academically, Mr. Naganna Gowda said many parents do not even communicate properly with their children while teachers limit themselves to academic work.This has resulted in excessive use of mobile and television by children and is a major concern. This issue has become more prominent with the rise of online classes post-COVID, he said.Regional Commissioner D.S. Ramesh, the Vice-Chancellor of Karnataka State Open University, Prof. Sharannappa V. Halse, Deputy Commissioner of Police S. Jahnavi, and others were present.Published - February 21, 2025 11:28 pm IST