ICWO and MSSW launch Student Translator Initiative to Strengthen Access to Justice for Child Survivors

Indian Community Welfare Organisation (ICWO), in collaboration with the Student Development Council (SDC) of the Madras School of Social Work (MSSW), successfully organized an Orientation Program for MSSW Student Translators at MSSW, on 27 July 2026. Dr. J. S. Gunavathy, Principal, Madras School of Social Work appreciated the collaboration and encouraged students to actively participate is the initiative.

The orientation marked the launch of the Student Translator Initiative, a volunteer network aimed at supporting children and families who face language barriers during police investigations, legal proceedings, counselling sessions. Medical examinations, and rehabilitation processes.

The programme commenced with a welcome address by Dr. A. Thirumagal Coordinator of SDC, MSSW, who introduced the initiative and highlighted the importance of student participation in promoting access to justice, social inclusion, and child protection.

Addressing the participants, Ms. Shekinah Sidkeenu, Documentation Expert and Child Protection Professional at ICWO, explained the role and responsibilities of student translators. She shared ICWO's experiences in supporting child survivors of abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking, emphasizing the importance of ethics, confidentiality, child-sensitive communication, and professionalism while working with vulnerable children and families. The session concluded with an interactive discussion and question-and-answer session.

For the past two and half years, ICWO has been actively supporting child survivors during police investigations, medical examinations, counselling, court proceedings, and rehabilitation under the child protection system. Through this work, the organisation has repeatedly encountered situations where the absence of trained translators delayed communication and made it difficult for children and families from different linguistic backgrounds to effectively participate in legal and support processes.

Recognising this growing need, ICWO has launched the Student Translate Initiative to build a dedicated pool of trained multilingual volunteers who can provide timely language assistance whenever required, ensuring that no child is denied protection, care, or justice because of a language barrier. 

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. A.J. Hariharan, Secretary, ICWO, stated that over the past three years, ICWO has stood beside hundreds of child survivors during police investigations, medical examinations and court proceedings. We aim to build a dedicated pool at compassionate multilingual volunteers who can bridge communication gaps, uphold children's rights and ensure that every child is heard, understood, and supported throughout the legal process.

ICWO invites students who are proficient in languages other than Tamil and English to become part of this initiative. For registration and programme coordination contact Ms. Shekinah Sidkeena, Programme COORDINATOR- Students Translator Initiative, Indian Community Welfare Association (ICWO) on 9884160690.