There were times when our Child Development Centres world be ransacked and the elder children taken away by the police officers every time there was a theft or any other anti social activity in the vicinity of locality. This would lead to a total chaos in the center and younger lot would go helter skelter and run away from the Child Development Centre. And we would have to redirect all efforts in getting them to the Child Development Centre, which of course would take a while. The reason for this to happen was that the Police had a nation that all street children are thieves and that they would remain to be so.

Police Dost Campaign is the brainchild of HCHW, an innovative programme being in implementation from the past six years. The programme is aimed at bridging the gap between police and street children through sensitization programmes and training programmes for police personnel of different cadres. This year a sensitization programme was held for the Constables and Head Constable of all the zones.

Ever since the Police personnel have been sensitized and trained on the issues of street children and Child Rights through the Police Dost Campaigns, we have witnessed a tremendous attitudinal change among them in their mindset, perception as well as behaviour while interacting with children living on Streets and in other difficult circumstances. Infact, today Police personnel are referring children to our Centres for rehabilitation as well as repatriation.

The other most important issue to take into consideration apart from the rehabilitative and preventive aspect, is that of the stigma attached to these children. We hear and witness that in most cases the violators of the child rights are not strangers but those who very much share the responsibilities of protecting children such as parents, teachers, police etc. Unfortunately, this exists due to lack of adequate education and awareness on child rights.

In order to create an awareness and bring about change in the attitude among these allied systems, we organize sensitization programmes, training programmes, rallies and campaigns relevant to the issues concerning children.

The sensitization programmes and training programmes held for the different stakeholders (Police Constables, Head Constables as well as Government Railway Police; Social Clubs; Children, Teachers, Head Masters and Head Masters and Head Mistresses of schools; Labour Inspectors; Paramedical Functionaries and Hotel Owners) were aimed at bringing in a paradigm shift in their attitudes and ultimately motivating them in working with these children in an unblased and dignified manner.