To mark the Girl Child Day on Sunday, a child rights-based newspaper has been launched by children studying in government schools in West Bengal. Dedar Khabor or ‘Unbounded News,’ a 16-page Bengali paper, has been written, edited and designed by the children, some from remote rural areas of the state.
Fifteen-year-old Mayuri Mukherjee headed the editorial board of the first edition. Also present during the launch was noted writer Nabaneeta Dev Sen.
The newspaper has a variety of sections, including children and school-related news, children's views on child rights, child labour, open letters to the US President and film personalities, information on government policies for children and children's interactions with eminent personalities.
A joint initiative by Unicef and the schools, the newspaper is a platform for children to present their perspective. “It is an apt tool for children to exercise their right to information," UNICEF delegate Werner Schultink said.
