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In an effort for children’s rights in the digital world, Assam Police, through its Sishu Mitra Program, in collaboration with PIIR Foundation and supported by UNICEF India, hosted Infantia—India’s First National Dialogue on Children’s Rights on the Internet at Novotel, Guwahati. The conclave brought together voices from across sectors to discuss how the internet is reshaping childhood and how the nation must respond with urgency, empathy, and vision.
In his keynote address, Harmeet Singh, IPS, Director General of Police, Assam, said that we need to harness many benefits of the internet, while ensuring that its perils do not affect our children. He stressed the importance of building trust-based communication between parents and teachers on one hand, and children on the other. “Trust between elders and the young is the basis for open communication, and that is what ensures security for the children” he said.
He further said that our endeavour is to start a serious conversation to protect the digital rights of children, and urged each member of the audience to take the dialogue forward in their homes, schools, communities and society as a whole.
Speaking to NewsX, Singh stated “We all talk about children’s rights in day to day life especially in the Internet age. This is a conversation we need to have. We are trying to raise consciousness and the entire effort is to start a conversation. Parents and teachers need to start the dialogue and society at large needs to be aware of what’s going on to protect their children.”
Actor and parenting influencer Neha Dhupia drew from her own journey as a mother navigating the digital world, Neha spoke candidly about the pressures modern parents face when it comes to sharing their children’s lives online. She highlighted how Assam Police’s #DontBeASharent campaign has been instrumental in sparking a much-needed global conversation around responsible digital parenting. “Not everything about your child needs to be posted online,” Neha said, calling attention to the growing culture of oversharing and the need to protect children’s digital dignity. Neha praised the initiative for shifting the narrative and placing children’s rights, consent, and privacy at the heart of digital parenting. Speaking to NewsX, Dhupia stated, “I feel like demarcation has to be set by parents as far as Internet rights. To come together, its very important that more and more conversation happens. Even a thing like creator economy is new and at times it may jeopardise the safety of a child. We need to have conversations regarding these situations and you have to protect your own kind.”
Celebrated Assamese actors Kopil Bora and Zerifa Wahid delivered a moving performance that captured the emotional landscape of modern-day parenting. Their act called for a deep rethinking of how parents approach the internet—acknowledging that in today’s digital age, parents don’t always have all the answers. The performance resonated with many in the audience, bringing to life the confusion, love, fear, and hope that define parenting today.
The event also featured a meaningful discussion on how to bridge the gap between children’s offline and online lives, and how legal frameworks, educational institutions, and families must evolve to ensure children’s rights are upheld in digital spaces. Salik Khan, Founder of PIIR Foundation, conducted a participatory digital parenting workshop and presented new research highlighting the realities of how Indian children experience the internet, often with limited guidance or protection.
Infantia marks a shift toward a more compassionate, child-rights-driven approach and it demonstrates Assam Police’s commitment not just to law enforcement, but to shaping safer, inclusive environments for children—online and offline.
