STOP’s Community Centres, namely Tigri and Tughlakabad, hosted the Independence Day celebrations on the 15th of August, 2023. The event introduction and the vote of thanks were delivered by the teachers of both communities. The energy present in the speeches given by the children, solo and group dances, skits, mashup songs, and the hoisting of the Indian flag was mixed with the air of patriotism and enthusiasm. It reflected on the ecstatic faces of the participants and the audiences, as the pictures speak below.
Project Responsible Netism was established by Ahaan Foundation, who invited us for a two day online workshop on “Building Digital Rakshak” in the month of August, 2023. Two members from STOP, namely Smritikana Ghosh Paul and Narayani Bhattacharya, participated actively in this event. On the first day, introduction to cybercrime, especially sextortion against children, internet addiction, its psychological impacts, remedies, and how online games affect children and their guardians were deliberated upon. Numerous participants gave their inputs by pitching in incidents of cybercrime their children had faced, especially during Covid. On the second day, Cyber Laws, Psychological and Emotional assistances provided holistically for the affected child and his family, as well as technical tips to secure devices and platforms were discussed in detail. It ended with an activity where the audience gave their opinions on how to tackle myriad hypothetical cases on cybercrime against children.
On the occasion of celebrating the Human Anti-Trafficking Day, on Friday, 28th of July, 2023, a large conclave of women volunteers was held at Tughlakabad by STOP (R.B.C.T.). About 300 women and girls participated in the conclave.
A leading social activist, Sh. Amitava Bhattacharyya, former CIC, and a retired Senior IAS officer, while initiating the discussion, mentioned that human trafficking:
1. Is the 3rd most internationally recognized organized criminal activity in the world
2. Comes after drugs and illegal weapons trade.
2. Various initiatives by government and civil society organizations have been initiated without any appreciable result.
3. A report to the parliament by the gov a few days ago stated that in a span of two years, i.e. 2020-22, about 7 lakh women and children were missing.
This is a serious social ill; not just the government and civil society organizations, but the people, especially the parents, should be aware of the various dimensions of this problem.
The other activists, namely Smritikana Ghosh Paul, Janki Gadhvi, Poonam Choudhary, Narayani Bhattacharya, and Mahima Rao spoke on this occasion. The role of the community as first responders and the need for establishing a close link between the NGO, i.e. stop and our Mahila Mandals and vigilantes, was stressed again and again, so that any incidence of missing women and children can be detected and reported in the very first instance itself.
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