The National Law University, Tripura (NLU Tripura) announced a new and significant partnership with UNICEF aimed at building a robust child protection ecosystem in the state of Tripura. NLU, Tripura through a press statement said that this collaboration marks a crucial step towards safe guarding the rights and well-being of children across the region. Under this partnership, NLU Tripura and UNICEF will work together to develop comprehensive frameworks and strategies to address the complex challenges faced by children in Tripura including child marriage, child rights awareness, policy advocacy, capacity building, and legal reforms to ensure the safety, security, and holistic development of children. This partnership was finalized during a round-table meeting between UNICEF Representatives and NLU Tripura Officials on 10 September 2024.

Speaking on the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor of NLU Tripura, Prof. (Dr.) Yogesh Pratap Singh, emphasized the significance of this partnership: “We are thrilled to collaborate with UNICEF to strengthen the child protection framework in Tripura. At NLU Tripura, we are committed to leveraging our academic resources, legal expertise, and research capabilities to create a safe and nurturing environment for children. Together with UNICEF, we aim to address the challenges and build a resilient ecosystem that supports the holistic growth of every child. UNICEF Representatives Mr.Laxminarayan Nanda and Ms. Purvi Malhotra highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration for child protection. They emphasized that this partnership with NLU Tripura will bring transformative changes in the child protection landscape in Tripura.

Under this project, the university’s Centre for Women and Child Rights (CWCR) will conduct a study on the causes and possible solutions of high prevalence of child marriages in the state of Tripura. The study will be conducted in coordination with the Directorate of Social Welfare and Social Education, Government of Tripura. Dr. Debashree  Debnath, Director, Centre for Women and Children, NLU Tripura and Ms. Suchitra Tripura, full-time Ph.D. candidate at NLU Tripura made presentation on the problem of child marriage, research objectives and research methodology adopted for the study. Representatives from Directorate  of Social Welfare and Social Education also participated in the round-table meeting held at NLUTripura. The Registrar Prof. (Dr.) Nachiketa Mittal concluded the meeting and delivered the vote of thanks.