Gujarat minister backs stronger govt-NGO ties for child rights protection
Synopsis
At a Gandhinagar workshop on child rights, Gujarat minister Kunvarji Bavaliya called for tighter government-NGO coordination to bridge implementation gaps — spotlighting children at construction sites, digital grievance tools, and the persistent challenges of child labour and child marriage across the state.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat minister Kunvarji Bavaliya addressed a state-level child rights workshop in Gandhinagar on 7 May 2025 .
The event was jointly organised by the Gujarat State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation .
The Minister highlighted the 'Shram Setu Portal' and 'Shramik Sahayak Call Centre' as digital tools to support workers and their families.
Commission Chairperson Dharmishtha Gajjar said the body had conducted field visits across districts over the past one-and-a-half years to monitor scheme delivery.
Workshop focused on combating child labour and child marriage , and improving NGO-government coordination in child welfare.
Ahmedabad -based Mahi Bhatt was felicitated during the programme for her achievements.
Gujarat Labour, Skill Development, Employment and Rural Development Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya on Thursday, 7 May called for deeper coordination between government bodies and social organisations to close implementation gaps in child welfare delivery, speaking at a state-level workshop in Gandhinagar themed 'Child Rights: Issues and Challenges'. The event, jointly organised by the Gujarat State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation, brought together NGOs, civil society groups and subject experts at the Forest Training Centre in Gandhinagar.
Key Highlights from the Workshop
Minister Bavaliya described existing cooperation between the government and social organisations in child protection as "highly commendable" while stressing that more needed to be done. Drawing on an analogy, he said, "Just as a potter shapes clay into a vessel, society plays a key role in shaping children's lives through care, values and protection." He emphasised that the responsibility of nurturing and safeguarding children was collective — not the state's alone.
Gandhinagar Mayor Miraben Patel also attended the programme, signalling civic-level engagement on the issue.
Vulnerable Children and Welfare Scheme Access
The Minister specifically flagged children from labourer families and those seen at construction sites and roadside locations, noting that "their access to education and healthcare required immediate attention." He said the government was committed to ensuring welfare schemes reached children across all sections of society, including those from the most vulnerable backgrounds.
He highlighted two digital tools introduced to support workers and their families: the 'Shram Setu Portal' and the 'Shramik Sahayak Call Centre', both aimed at faster grievance redressal. He also underlined the need for sustained awareness campaigns to combat social issues such as child marriage.
What the Child Rights Commission Said
Child Rights Protection Commission Chairperson Dharmishtha Gajjar said children "represented the foundation of society and played an important role in nation-building." She stressed that protecting their rights, health and education required coordinated efforts from all stakeholders, calling it a "collective responsibility."
Gajjar noted that the commission had been actively monitoring institutions including schools and anganwadis to ensure children's rights were not violated. Over the past one-and-a-half years, the commission had undertaken field visits across districts to verify that government schemes were reaching children at the grassroots level and to address on-ground concerns.
Focus on Implementation and Best Practices
The workshop brought together representatives of voluntary organisations and NGOs, with subject experts delivering detailed sessions on child rights challenges. Participants discussed ways to strengthen NGO-government coordination for more effective delivery of child welfare initiatives, and shared best practices from field organisations to improve implementation outcomes.
During the programme, Ahmedabad-based Mahi Bhatt was felicitated for her achievements in the field.
The workshop signals a renewed push by Gujarat's state machinery to move child rights protection from policy to practice — with the next challenge being measurable outcomes at the district level.
Point of View
Bridging gaps, awareness drives — but the harder question is whether Gujarat has a mechanism to measure whether any of it translates into fewer children at construction sites or lower child marriage rates. The commission's field visits over the past one-and-a-half years are a step forward, but without published outcome data, these events risk being exercises in intent rather than accountability. The spotlight on digital tools like the Shram Setu Portal is notable, but worker families in informal labour — the very population flagged by the minister — are often the last to access digital grievance systems. The state's credibility on child rights will ultimately rest on district-level numbers, not workshop attendance.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Gujarat child rights workshop in Gandhinagar about?
The workshop, themed 'Child Rights: Issues and Challenges', was held on 7 May 2025 in Gandhinagar to discuss implementation gaps in child welfare and strengthen coordination between government agencies and NGOs. It was jointly organised by the Gujarat State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation.
Who is Kunvarji Bavaliya and what did he say at the workshop?
Kunvarji Bavaliya is Gujarat's Minister for Labour, Skill Development, Employment and Rural Development. At the workshop, he called for stronger government-NGO coordination in child protection and flagged the need for immediate attention to children from labourer families, particularly those seen at construction sites and roadside locations.
What digital tools has the Gujarat government introduced for workers and their families?
The Gujarat government has introduced the 'Shram Setu Portal' and the 'Shramik Sahayak Call Centre' to provide quicker support and grievance redressal for workers and their families, as mentioned by Minister Bavaliya at the workshop.
What has the Gujarat Child Rights Commission been doing at the grassroots level?
Commission Chairperson Dharmishtha Gajjar said the body has been monitoring schools and anganwadis and has conducted field visits across districts over the past one-and-a-half years to ensure government schemes reach children at the grassroots level.
Why is child marriage highlighted as a concern at the Gujarat workshop?
Minister Bavaliya and Commission Chairperson Gajjar both stressed the need for sustained awareness campaigns against child marriage, identifying it as a persistent social issue that requires coordinated action from both government bodies and civil society organisations.
