New Delhi: National Law University Jodhpur (NLUJ) and India Child Protection, through its Centre for Legal Action and Behaviour Change for Children (C-LAB), have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen research, education and capacity-building initiatives in the field of child protection.
The partnership will focus on key areas including child rights, human rights, digital safety, child protection research and professional training. The collaboration comes at a time when the intersection of law, technology and society is creating new challenges and opportunities in protecting children.
The agreement seeks to establish a long-term institutional framework between NLUJ and C-LAB for developing knowledge, promoting interdisciplinary research and strengthening the capacity of professionals and organisations working in child protection.
Five Key Areas of Collaboration
Under the MoU, NLUJ and C-LAB will collaborate across five broad areas.
The first area covers academic and professional certificate courses and training programmes related to child protection, child rights, digital safety and human rights.
The second focuses on research studies, publications, knowledge resources and academic or policy-oriented outputs. The institutions will work together to generate research and resources that can contribute to the evolving understanding of child protection and justice.
The third area involves capacity building and knowledge exchange for stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, legal professionals, educators and civil society organisations.
The fourth focuses on student engagement and experiential learning. This will include internships, field-based learning opportunities and outreach initiatives designed to give students practical exposure to child protection issues.
The fifth area covers seminars, workshops, conferences, lectures and other knowledge-sharing activities, creating opportunities for experts and stakeholders to discuss emerging challenges in child safety and human rights.
Focus on Digital Safety of Children
A significant component of the collaboration will be the growing issue of online child safety. With children increasingly using digital platforms for education, communication and entertainment, online safety has emerged as an important area of child protection.
NLUJ and C-LAB will explore research and knowledge-building initiatives around the evolving discourse on digital safety, technology, law and children’s rights.
The two institutions will also work on joint research proposals and publications, thematic working groups, policy labs, national and international conferences, workshops and seminars.
The partnership also envisages the development of knowledge repositories and digital libraries covering law, technology, child safety and human rights.
NLUJ Highlights Social Responsibility
The MoU was signed in New Delhi by NLUJ Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Harpreet Kaur and ICP Trustee Rajat Kumar.
Speaking about the collaboration, Prof. (Dr.) Harpreet Kaur highlighted NLUJ’s efforts towards social responsibility and support for vulnerable communities.
She noted that under a government mandate, the university had adopted a village in Rajasthan and begun examining issues related to women’s rights. She also highlighted the need to address the challenges faced by children, particularly in areas where child marriage and low literacy levels remain concerns.
According to Prof. Kaur, the institution aims to identify vulnerable sections of society that require support and determine how an educational institution can contribute through assistance, training and research resources.
C-LAB Emphasises Child Rights and Justice
Priyanka Ribhu, Head of the Centre for Legal Action and Behaviour Change for Children (C-LAB), said that NLUJ’s work closely aligns with the objectives covered under the MoU.
She highlighted that the partnership encompasses academics, capacity building and research, with a particular focus on the philosophy of child protection, human rights and justice.
Ribhu also identified online child safety as a key area of collaboration, noting the rapidly evolving discourse around protecting children in digital environments.
Strengthening India’s Child Protection Ecosystem
The NLUJ-C-LAB partnership brings together legal education, research, professional training and child protection expertise under a collaborative framework.
By involving students, researchers, legal professionals, educators, law enforcement agencies and civil society organisations, the initiative has the potential to support wider knowledge-sharing and capacity building in the child protection ecosystem.
The collaboration is expected to contribute to research and educational initiatives addressing emerging challenges related to child rights, digital safety, human rights and access to justice, while creating new opportunities for students and professionals to engage with child protection issues.
