Hyderabad, Nov 14 (IANS): CRISP, an NGO working for child rights, has urged the central government to set up a separate ministry for children.

The organisation called for de-linking child development from the present women and child development ministry as the rights of women and children are different.

Voicing concern over the increasing cases of child abuse, Child Rights and Shared Parenting (CRISP) has sought strict implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 by creating awareness among people.

The NGO, which has its headquarters in Bengaluru and branches in all the states, wants the government to promote shared parenting in children coming from broken homes so that the children get guidance from both parents.

In a statement on Children's Day, the NGO called for declaring parental alienation as a crime.

CRISP president Kumar Jagirdar said sex education should be made compulsory at the higher level in all private and government schools.

"Focus should be to educate on what constitutes abuse and what steps should be taken to promote boy child safety along with girls," he said.

Quoting from a study, it pointed out that boys outnumbered girls in sexual abuse cases among children.