Our work in fostering strategic alliances is with the ambition to equip Government and non-government stakeholders with knowledge on child rights and protection, to catalyse the efficient implementation of the government’s child protection responses at both the micro and macro level by, and to advocate with key players on adopting and promoting practices that help build a multi layered protection ecosystem for children.

COLLABORATION WITH THE INDIAN RAILWAYS
As a resource agency for the Indian Railways we have conducted capacity building workshops and trainings at railway training institutes and across the zonal, divisional and station level, having trained 36000+ railway officials since 2013, on child rights, protection and related laws, in addition to providing technical expertise by drafting the Railways’ SoP and Guidebook, CSR policy amongst other activities.

AWARENESS & CAPACITY BUILDING
Capacity building is a key facet of our work. We have spent 8 years on training and capacity building of a host of stakeholders like the Indian Railways ( RPF,GRP, Commercial and Operating officials), ICPS stakeholders ( CWC,SJPU,DCPC,BCPC,VLCPC), Outreach workers and NGOs, having conducted 546 trainings since 2013. In total, 44045 stakeholders including 5583 ICPS stakeholders attended our trainings.

Additionally, our work to engage a variety of stakeholders from railway passengers, railway officials, ICPS stakeholders, outreach and field workers and NGOs includes awareness and sensitization campaigns at railway stations and across other spaces. We’ve conducted more than 100 awareness campaign reaching 178545 passengers, and counting.

An extension of our engagement activities with the Railway Staff is a short-film series Chhuk Chuuk Rail – Muskrata Bachpan in collaboration with Indian Railways Ticket Checking Staff Organization (IRTCSO), that encourages understanding and action for children who are alone or at risk and in contact with the Railway network.

Our Railways – Making A Child-Friendly Space

Railway Heroes – Recognising Childhood

1. BUILDING ALLIANCES WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS
Collaborations and partnerships are the cornerstone of our work, based on the belief that only if we come together can children be protected. Some of our key alliances include:

A. A Partnership with the Government e.g. Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Women and Child Development, State Government and departments, National and State Child Rights statutory bodies (National and State Commission for protection of Child Rights), Zonal, division and station level authorities of Indian Railways, District Authorities and competent authorities on child protection i.e. Child Welfare Committees and Special Juvenile Police Units and District Child protection Units.

INDIAN RAILWAYS

• Recognised as a resource organization for child protection training and awareness, incorporated RCI training module in their training curriculum, drafted the Indian Railway’s CSR policy, participated and promoted roundtable discussions and seminars on children’s issues from time to time.
• Organised “ABHINANDAN”, an event to felicitate Railway Officials for their outstanding contribution to the protection of children at Railway Stations in collaboration with the Zonal Railway on a regular basis.

NCPCR & SCPCRs

• Member of various working groups constituted by NCPCR and DCPCR, provided technical support to ASCPCR and WBSCPCR and acted as a partner organization of NCPCR to support the Railway Board to develop a “Guidebook on child protection at Railway Stations, in addition to launching an event of awareness campaigns and conducting a series of trainings on child protection.

MWCD & State departments

• On MWCD’s panel of experts for the documentation of the compendium of good practices on child protection in India, provided technical support on ICPS to the UP and MP Government for Chandauli and Hoshangabad district respectively. Closely worked with Delhi Police and , DWCD on SJPU, and Department of social defence Tamil Nadu.

Non-Government organizations/forums & Railway’s Unions

• Railway Unions - Indian Railway Ticket Checking Staff Organization (IRTCSO), All India Station Master Association.
• Networks/Alliances- Covid Response Child Protection Alliance, All India Child Rights Protection Forum, India Alternative Care Network and RTE Forum
• National/ International NGO- UNICEF, TERI, Save the Children, Plan India, CRY, MVF, Praxis, CIF, CINI etc.

B. Engaging stakeholders in direct intervention like Railway officials (RPF, GRP and Commercial staff) at Railway premises and running trains, ICPS officials, Police at district and community level. Linkages establish between Railways and district level stakeholders for mutual support in delivering their responsibilities.

C. We have actively collaborated with the NCPCR, SCPCRs in Delhi, Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu respectively, acting as a technical partner to make child-friendly stations, undertaking research papers and studies. Our advocacy efforts with Department Of Social Welfare, Government of Delhi, culminated into a study on children’s data of all Child Welfare Committees of Delhi amongst other feats.

D. Our work also extends to collaborating with peers in the sector, actively participating in child rights cohorts and collectives and influencing policy at the state and national level. Some examples are India Alliance for Child Rights ,Covid Response Child Protection Alliance, All India Child Rights Protection Forum and India Alternative Care Network.