Kochi: "You can save a child's life without resorting to abandonment or harm. A single call is all it takes." These are the words of the awareness message released on behalf of the Department of Women and Child Development and the State Child Protection Society.

The campaign, accompanied by the child helpline number 1098, aims to provide immediate assistance for any child-related concerns. Its primary objective is to raise awareness about government initiatives aimed at safeguarding children, particularly in light of recent distressing events such as the tragic incident of maternal filicide in Ernakulam.

Central to the government's efforts are projects dedicated to child welfare, including the enhanced functioning of the Ammathottil centres and training programmes focused on child-friendly parenting.

'Ammathottil’ is the electronic cradle functioning under the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare. It is instituted as a means of providing better living conditions for destitute, abandoned, and relinquished children.

Despite the presence of several Ammathottil centres across the State, many remain non-operational, leading to calls for their immediate reinstatement.

State Child Rights Commission Chairman K V Manoj Kumar has proposed the expansion of Ammathottil centres and the establishment of Ammathottil centres under the aegis of medical colleges across the State.

The Child Rights Commission is collaborating with Kudumbashree to provide training on child-friendly parenting, aiming to raise awareness about the importance of protecting children. The initiative seeks to instill the principles of good parenting in every household.