Government and Non-government Stakeholders Partner to Prevent Substance Use among Youth in Kerala

Bangalore Rural Educational and Developmental Society (BREADS) in association with the Kerala State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR), conducted a state-level stakeholders’ workshop on the current status of substance abuse among children and the interventions by various government departments and NGOs in Kerala. The workshop is part of BREADS’ Drug Rehabilitation Education And Mentoring (DREAM) initiative in Kerala, and was conducted at Apollo Di Mora Hotel, Trivandrum, on 29 February 2024.

After the inauguration by Dr V Venu (State Chief Secretary), dignitaries such as Mr K V Manoj (Chairperson-KSCPCR), Dr Shermila Mary (Principal Secretary-LSGD), Mr S S Hanavas (Director General Education), Fr Philip Parakattu (State Director-DREAM), Fr George PS (Executive Director–BREADS), Ms Jalajamol T C (Member-KSCPCR), and Ms N Sunandha (Member–KSCPCR) addressed the gathering.

There was active participation of 178 members from various government departments such as Women and Child Development, Excise, Education, Social Justice, Health, Local Self Government, State Child Rights Protection Commission, and various NGOs, who work among vulnerable children prone to substance/drug abuses and other addictions. All members took part in the event by sharing their various services and valuable experiences towards the prevention of substance abuse among children and youth.

Mr. Manoj Kumar concluded the session by assuring the gathering that the suggestions that came up during the discussions would be collated and submitted to the state government in order to facilitate policy and implementation changes in the state of Kerala by the government.