State government has approved the proposal to constitute a state child rights commission and authorise the same to take up case of child rights violations.
This was disclosed by minister for social welfare, women and child development Kiyanilie Peseyie Wednesday during his speech at the first state level consultative meet on children and women rights in Nagaland held under the theme ‘towards a stronger Nagaland alliance for children and women’.
According to the minister the rapid expansion of social welfare department entailed bigger responsibility to child rights commissioner and members of the commission for rendering better and mea ningful services to the children and women of the state.
The commission would be authorized to handle cases of child rights violations, he said adding that under the integrated child protection scheme, the state government has planned many programmes for the welfare of the “children in conflict with law” or children in need of care and protection.
He said the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) has become important to sensitize the people and create awareness about the need and care of one’s children.
Peseyie also informed observation homes have been set up in Kohima, Dimapur, Chozuba sub-division under Phek district, Wokha and Mokokchung adding that four more districts, Peren, Zunheboto, Kiphire and Longleng have been approved by government of India, ministry of women and child development.
With five children observation homes and two special homes in the state, Peseyie also informed that the state social welfare department was the first in Northeast to sign a MoU with government of India for ICPS.
He also disclosed that the state government would soon be opening a new centre for women attached to district hospitals for special care for women and children.
Speaking on the occasion, DC Dimapur, Hushili Sema highlighted the need for children to grow up with dignity in a “positive environment”.
Asserting that Nagas could not shy away from the child and women issues, Hushili said “we cannot say that we as Nagas we are something very special, something exclusive and therefore we are free from this kind of injustice and abuse.”
With reports of children being trafficked in promise of better education and lifestyle, Hushili urged all fight together such issues with a “common target”.
She also highlighted on the need of Church to spread awareness saying that church leaders should play a vital and proactive role.
Nagaland Alliance for Child Rights (NACR) has become the first state alliance in the country and associated with India Alliance for Child Rights (IACR), convenor, India Alliance for Child Rights (IACR) Razia Ismail Abbasi Wednesday said.
Highlighting basic rights of a child, Razia said child’s right was not only about being fed, clothed, immunized or sheltered but creating a secured environment and that there was no vaccine for a child being felt unwanted and insecure.
Problems faced in Nagaland was also a national problem, and needed to be recognized by the nation for which Razia stressed on the need to build network among NGOs across the country to work on common issues.
Earlier, an introduction of NACR was given by its president N K Keny and presentation on children and women rights by registrar of Guwahati High Court (Kohima bench), member secretary, State Legal Service Authority (SLSA) Mayang Lima.
The gathering was also entertained with special presentation by Miqlat Ministry and special number by Love Care Home.
Meanwhile, NACR expressed gratitude to all who supported for the success of the First State Level Consultative Meet on Children’s & Women’s Rights.
NACR expressed gratitude to Keyanilie Peseyie, minister of Social Welfare, women and Child Development, Mayang Lima, Registrar, GHC (Kohima Bench), member secy.
SLSA, Razia Ismail, convenor IACR, Nagaland State Women Commission and School of Social Work, Dimapur and all the delegates.
Child rights violation alarming in Dimapur
Between April and August 2013, there were 98 reported cases of child rights violations in Dimapur while the total from the period April 2011 to August 2013 there were a total of 349 cases of child right violations.
The above figures were only cases recorded and intervened by Childline , said centre co-ordinator Loziia Kate in a presentation at the Nagaland Alliance for Child Rights (NACR)’s first state level consultative meet on children and women rights in Nagaland at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur.
The presentation not only revealed the dark side of child rights violations but also threw up a slew of issues that needed to be tackled with urgency.
The presentation highlighted issues confronting the state associated with domestic helpers, child labour, regular reports of missing children, non-streamlining of differently-abled children and non existence of specific programme for children living with HIV&AIDS.
With reference to human trafficking in the form of “children sold off to families as domestic help”, Loziia stated that the process has been generally termed as “adoption” that undermined the legal implications associated with it.
She also said there were numerous cases of abuse of “child domestic workers” by their owners and where most of the children were deprived of their “original names by their owners” resulting in identity crisis when they grew up.
Most of these children had been brought from rural areas to towns with promises of education end up as domestic helpers in unsuspecting homes.
She also opined that unlike other parts of the country, child labour in Nagaland was not as visible due to the fact that these children, used as domestic helpers were hidden from public. Cases related to child labour were mostly in the north of the state and mainly in urban areas.
Many children especially from countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and other nearby states, land up on the streets of Dimapur, the states commercial hub.
Another issue highlighted was the cases of “missing children” as reported or published in local media. The Childline Coordinator informed that there were many cases which have not been reported.
Acknowledging the seriousness of child and women issues in the state, NACR had appealed the state government for its intervention so as to ensure the rights, justice and safety to children and women in Nagaland.
Meanwhile, NACR also submitted a representation to minister for Social Welfare, Women and Child Development Kiyanilie Peseyie.