On World Teacher's Day, Ayushmann Khurrana Stresses On The Need Of The Hour!

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana, UNICEF Celebrity Advocate, has spoken out about the safety for children and the child's right to have a safe environment to grow up, on the occasion of World Human Rights Day on Thursday.

"Violence can and should be prevented. As parents, teachers, members of the community, and duty bearers we all have a role to play. We need to reach out to children, to help them understand that they can speak out about violence they face to their parents or call ChildLine 1098. We have to help children understand how they can protect themselves," Ayushmann said.

He stressed that reaching out to parents, friends, communities is also important as violence happens at home, in school, in playgrounds, by people children trust.

Youth icon and Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana is a thought-leader who is aiming to bring constructive, positive changes in society with his progressive, conversation starting entertainers. Ayushmann, voted as one of the most influential people of the world by TIME Magazine, has been recently appointed as UNICEF’s Celebrity Advocate for their global campaign EVAC (Ending Violence Against Children). On World Teacher’s Day, Ayushmann highlights how teachers can play a vital role in identifying and protecting children who are vulnerable to violence in schools since kids spend most of their time at such institutions.

Ayushmann says, “Teachers and schools have a very important formative influence in the lives of children, as they spend a substantive part of the day across several years with them. We have all been through that phase where whatever teachers tell us is at times placed at even higher value than our parent's advice. Hence, teachers have a great responsibility in ensuring schools are safe and trusted zones for children.”

He further explains, “It means dealing with all forms of violence within school premises, making schools inclusive. Teachers also play an important role in educating children about personal safety from a very young age, providing them information and support for reporting any uncomfortable experience, thus ensuring that schools itself can be a place of safety for children.”