Dr. Santwana Adhikari, Senior Programme Manager

25 Years ago, CINI created the Adolescent Resource Centre (ARC), with a simple belief: when adolescents are trusted with knowledge, voice and opportunity, they do not just change their own future, they re- imagine the social fabric of families, schools and communities. ARC’s story is therefore not only a chapter in CINI’s 50 years of organizational history; it is also part of India’s wider social development journey.

On 25th November 2025, CINI marked a deeply meaningful milestone of 25 years of the Adolescent Resource Centre (ARC), through a Knowledge Sharing programme on successful adolescent interventions at the Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata. As someone who has closely witnessed ARC’s evolution, this celebration was both a moment of reflection and renewed resolve.

Established in the year 2000, ARC began its journey with a focused emphasis on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for adolescents, at a time when adolescent health remained largely invisible within mainstream programming. Over the years, ARC steadily built its strength through rigorous research, field-based learning, and large-scale implementation, allowing evidence to shape practice. This experience enabled ARC to gradually converge adolescent programming with CINI’s broader work on health, education, protection, nutrition, mental health, and gender equality. ARC’s journey has also been defined by strong and evolving partnerships with government departments, contributing to system strengthening, policy dialogue, and scale. A significant milestone was the initiation of CINI Teenline in 2022, expanding ARC’s reach through accessible mental health support for adolescents. Today, ARC stands as a nationally recognized, scalable adolescent empowerment model, rooted in community engagement and adolescent leadership.

The programme beautifully blended reflection and aspiration, through leadership addresses, powerful knowledge products, cultural performances, and, most importantly, adolescent voices that reminded us why this work matters. Felicitation of adolescent change-makers underscored the transformative power of investing in young leadership. As ARC steps into its next chapter, this celebration reinforced our collective commitment to deepen impact, strengthen convergence with government systems, and continue nurturing informed, confident, and resilient adolescents who will shape a more equitable future.
National Children’s Day & Child Rights Week Celebration

Children’s Day & Child Rights Week (14th November to 21st November 2025):

The theme of this year was “For Every Children, Every Right”

Uttar Dinajpur: CINI observed National Children’s Day and Child Rights Week 2025 across all 9 blocks of Uttar Dinajpur District with ORACLE, CFC, KAWACH 2.0, AROGYA, and ICCHAA projects. The week-long observance aimed to promote awareness and participation on key child rights issues at block and GP levels. The programs engaged children, adolescent girls and boys, frontline workers, community members, Panchayat representatives, ICDS staff, and other stakeholders. Overall, around 1,200 adolescents were directly reached through various block-level and community-based activities.

Assam: UNCRC Week was celebrated across selected tea gardens in Sonitpur and Udalguri districts in Assam under the CFC in tea gardens intervention. Using a theatrical approach, mime performances on adolescent health and child marriage were conducted at various locations within the tea gardens, including Learning Centres, to raise awareness on Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) and child rights. The performances were attended by over 1,000 participants, including women workers, members of mothers’ groups, adolescents, children from Learning Centres, and other community stakeholders.

Kolkata: CINI organized a series of programmes—including School Awareness Sessions and Children’s Meetings—to highlight the importance of child rights in ensuring safety, well-being, and holistic development. Through these initiatives, approximately 500 children were reached, engaging them in interactive discussions, activities, and audio-visual presentations that made learning about rights both informative and enjoyable. Five School Awareness Programmes were conducted to build knowledge among the children on Child Rights so that they could assure that their rights are respected. This event empowered children and teachers alike to recognize, respect, and uphold children’s rights, fostering safer and more supportive learning environments.

South 24 Parganas: CINI celebrated Children’s Day across 38 girls learning centres. Children drew pictures, sang songs, recited poem. They placed a garland on Nehruji’s photo. The day was also observed in Gosaba and Kalatalahat GP. The adolescents of these areas were involved to spread awareness regarding healthy habits, mental health issues, importance of physical activeness. To spread awareness several activities were performed like poster competition, healthy food competition, physical activities, session on mental health issues during adolescent period.

Murshidabad: Children’s Day and CRC Week Strengthen Child Participation in Governance- Marking Children’s Day alongside CRC Week (14–20 November 2025), Child In Need Institute (CINI) facilitated a major step towards child-responsive governance in Murshidabad. Together with children and adolescents, Block Plans of Action for Children and Adolescents were developed and submitted across 22 blocks. Prepared through close collaboration with Block Administration and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), these plans reflect children’s priorities and outline actionable issues for integration into the FY 2026–27 Panchayat Samiti (Block) Plans. The submissions were formally accepted by the respective BDOs and Sabhapatis, signalling strong institutional recognition of children’s voices in planning processes.

North Bengal :On 14^th Nov 2025, Children’s Day kicked off Child Rights Week with vibrant celebrations across CINI North Bengal Unit, Community-Based Learning Centres, Open Shelter for Girls, Drop-in-Centres, and 11 areas. Children showcased talents through dance, songs, poems, and skits at the CINI unit office inauguration, graced by the Officer-in-Charge of Siliguri Women Police Station, Avalon Shiksha Niketan Academy faculty and students, CDPO, and CRPF personnel.

Marking the Child Rights Week, Jalpaiguri District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), in collaboration with CINI, hosted a District Level Workshop on “Collective Responsibility in Ensuring Child Rights and Protection.” Facilitated by CINI’s Unit Coordinator, it featured dignitaries like DLSA Secretary, CWC Chairperson, and DCPO. Attendees included CWPOs, Public Prosecutors, Support Persons, and PLVs.

Rambagan, Kolkata: A Children’s Day Art Workshop was organized on 14 November 2025 at Rabindra Kanan Mukta Manch, Rambagan, with the participation of 60 children, promoting creativity and free expression through poster-making. A collective handprint activity symbolized unity and togetherness, followed by a joyful cake-cutting ceremony. The event created a vibrant, inclusive, and memorable experience for all the children.