APIIT Law lecturer’s book empowers children to protect themselves from abuse

‘Ranee and Bindoo bird’, a book authored by Senior Lecturer Law, APIIT Law School, Marini de Livera was launched recently at the Jaffna Central College on Children’s Day.

‘Bindoo the bird’ serves the dual purpose of being a resource book for English language Teachers while also being an educational tool to teach young children to protect themselves from violence and child-abuse.

Minister of Women’s Affairs and Child Development Chandrani Bandara was the Chief guest at this event.

Speaking at the occasion, the Minister said, “‘Bindoo the bird’ is a versatile book one rarely finds today. It’s an insightful resource-book which English teachers can use in classrooms to promote reading aloud. On the other hand, the convincing and expressive pictures painted by the author will motivate children to write essays and speak English in class. To stop the incidents of child-abuse in Sri Lanka, we need to build a strong network of dedicated interest groups consisting of the Women’s Affairs and Child Development Ministry, the Northern Provincial Council, the Department of Education, academia and the corporate sector as well as students in Higher Education Institutes. It’s heartening to see the level of interest APIIT law students have taken in this initiative.”

Meanwhile, a drama staged at the launch brought to life the core message of the book in effectively. It featured song, dance and narrative to deliver the powerful message underlying the theme of the book; that safety and dignity is an absolute right of every child in this country.

Congratulating the author and artist, Marini de Livera on her creative endeavour to prevent violence against children, the Minister urged Teachers to use ‘Ranee and Bindoo bird’ to teach children to protect themselves from abuse and violence.