Centre hanging up on 1098; children will have to call 112

CategorySocial

Last Updated15/09/2022

The only dedicated helpline for children (Childline 1098), running successfully for the past 26 years, will be integrated with national emergency number 112,

However, civil society is up in arms because Childline 1098 has been a very effective and successful project, and is meant exclusively for children, unlike 112, which deals with emergencies related to police matters, health and women’s safety.
They fear that with the police becoming first responders to calls from children, there might be a drop in the reporting of offences.

Set up in 1996 as a project at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
It is run as a private trust called Childline India Foundation which is funded by the MWCD.
Childline 1098 now receives 80 lakh calls annually and has a presence in nearly 700 districts in the country through over 1,000 intervention units, which include helpdesks at railways stations and bus stands.
These units also typically have a phone operator, who are sometimes children rescued from the streets, a social worker, or a counsellor.

Childline 1098 is not just an emergency helpline. It provides a range of services to children and, therefore, the transfer from MWCD to MHA is very odd.
It is assumed that once police teams receive a call on 112, it will be transferred to 1098.
But there is no clarity. However, police personnel should not be the first responders as they can’t provide the support and counselling children need.