State child rights commission mulls campaign to encourage children for outdoor games

West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) will take up a campaign during the Under 17 World Cup to encourage children to take part in outdoor games that help rebuilding their confidence.

The commission has proposed the FIFA authorities to get associated with them in the tournament to spread the message that "how football can rebuild lives of children".

It was Swami Vivekananda who first realised the utility of football in shaping up the character and physical strength of youth. "You will be nearer to heaven through football than through the study of Gita," he said.

Sovabzar FC Club had felicitated Vivekananda after he returned from the west in 1897. Taking cue from him, many youth started playing football and the historic win by Mohun Bagan defeating Eastern Yorkshire 2-1 in the IFA Shield in 1911 was the first expression of the courage and confidence of Bengali youth and had paved the way for freedom struggle.

Considering that FIFA authorities will be giving a positive response to the noble cause of spreading messages so that more children play Football and other outdoor games, WBCPCR authorities have initiated chalking out plans for the awareness campaign that will be taken up during the international matches of the Under 17 World Cup in Kolkata. The matches in Kolkata are scheduled to be held in October including the final match of the tournament.

Ananya Chatterjee Chakraborti, the Chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Protection Child Rights, said: "Football is a team game. It helps in socialisation process as well. We have proposed the FIFA authorities to get associated with them to create awareness that how football can impact the lives of children in a positive way during the matches in Kolkata. We would also like to highlight how football can be used to rebuild confidence."

"The discussion to plan the entire awareness campaign is going on," she said adding that besides taking up programmes at the venue following discussions with the FIFA authorities after they give a positive response, hoardings to make people aware of the need of getting involved in outdoor games by children will also be put up across the city.

It may be mentioned that a section of children now remain glued to mobile phones, television sets and laptops instead of taking part in team games like football. A recent incident at Andheri in Mumbai on July 30 in which a 14-year-old boy who had fallen prey to an online game called "Blue Whale" had jumped off from the terrace of his residence following instructions of the game. It is an outcome of excessive exposure of children to Internet which is now easily available in smartphones.

It is expected that the awareness campaign that will be taken up by the commission during the tournament that will be watched by people from all across the world and will leave a positive impact on children.

The commission provides football training to around 40 inmates of its home Kishalaya at Barasat in North 24 Parganas to rebuild confidence in them and at least three out of them will be getting opportunity to represent Bengal's junior team. There will also be a friendly match between the team of Kishalaya and another team on August 15.