TNN | Oct 30, 2013, 05.13AM IST

GUWAHATI: Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) is planning to observe March 4 as 'Child Right Protection Day' in the state following rise in violence against children and make the people aware of child rights. Assam will be the first state in the country to observe such a day.

Addressing a two-day consultation on the theme 'end violence against children', the chairperson incharge of ASCPCR, Runumi Gogoi, said, "We have written to the Union ministry of women and child development and are waiting for their response. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights ( NCPCR) has, however, given clearance to the proposal. Now, we are waiting for the state government's approval."

She said the commission has decided to observe March 4 as Child Right Protection Day since ASCPCR was constituted on this day in 2010. "No other state in the country observes Child Right Protection Day and Assam will be the first state to observe such day," she added.

The commission, quoting Assam CID's data, said 1852 children went missing in 2012 and only 698 could be traced. Out of the 1,852 children, 1233 are girls. According to the National Crime Records Bureau's (NCRB) 2012 report, there has been an increase in rape of children from 40 in 2011 to 333 in 2012.

According to Annual Health Survey 2010-11, 39.4 per cent of married girls between 20 and 24 years have confirmed that they were married before 18 years. The child marriage data of the districts of Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Darrang, Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar and Dhubri is much higher than the state as well as national average.

As far as child labour is concerned, Assam's average is 3.4 per cent with regard to children aged between 5 and 14 years.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Assam-takes-up-cudgels-for-child-rights/articleshow/24899794.cms?referral=PM