The National Commission For Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has issued guidelines to schools, orphanages and juvenile justice homes across the country, asking them to celebrate the rights of children, covering issues related to child abuse, corporal punishment and child labour this Wednesday.

``Children's Day is usually celebrated by organizing a variety of events, the focus being entertainment. However, we felt that there was need for more meaningful programmes on the occasion to send a message to the kids,'' said NCPCR chairperson Shanta Sinha. The Commission has written to chief secretaries of all the states asking them to launch a campaign and interact directly with children in schools, hostels, orphanages, juvenile homes, children's homes and shelter homes on Bal Divas.

``Children need to know about their rights. They should be told how to cope with various issues concerning them. We have suggested that the articles of the UN Convention on Child Rights should be read out in every class, followed by discussion with children. There has been a rise in the number of cases impinging on the rights of children due to lack of awareness among the target group,'' said Sinha.