On December 12th, a public dialogue on Child Trafficking was organized in Koppal jointly by UNICEF, Childline, Sathyarthi Foundation, Sarvodaya and Spndhana (NGOs in Belgaum), to create awareness on child trafficking and child protection among the general public and government officials.

DPC, FO, Community organizers and around 70 college-going Sphoorthi girls participated in the program. Among the dignitaries present in the event, Mr Srinivas, District Judge and Member Secretary, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), spoke about trafficking, laws to prevent it, and its penalties. The District Judge also encouraged the Police inspector to take all necessary measures to prevent trafficking incidents in public places like bus stops.

The Sphoorthi girls shared their experiences of how they have been successfully averting child marriages through collective efforts of the girls, families and community members. The workshop proved to be very useful for our field staff and the Sphoorthi girls. They learnt about the government services like the Child-Line, children’s homes, and NGOs that can be of immediate help in case of emergencies.