With an aim to facilitate harmonisation, coordination and integration of different efforts and enhance networking and collaboration among various stakeholders for providing effective service to children, the first consultative meet on effective implementation of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 was held here on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, adviser for Social Welfare, HG&CD, Noke Wangnao said, as stakeholders of child rights and protection, the department was entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of the most important asset of the nation.
As many worked directly or indirectly with and for the children in their own respective fields, he appealed everyone to work together as members of one body, adding that together the objective of child welfare could be achieved and contribute meaningfully to the future generation.
In her keynote address, social welfare secretary and Child Protection Services chairperson Sarah R Ritse remarked that child protection was about protecting children from or against any perceived or real danger or risk to their lives, their personhood and childhood.
She explained that it was about reducing their vulnerability to any kind of harm and ensuring that no child falls out of the safety net and that those who do receive necessary care protection are supported to bring them back into safety net. To reach out to all children, particularly in difficult times, Ritse said the Union ministry of women & child development has stressed that other sectors have vital roles to play.
Emphasizing that child protection was a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary issue that required involvement of everyone with primary responsibility resting with the family and supported by the community, government and civil society, Ritse said it was important that the respective roles were articulated clearly and understood by all parties in an effort to protect children.
She exuded confidence that the consultative meet would equip the participants with useful information.
In his brief address, social welfare director T Merangtsungba Aier said Nagaland was one of the first States in the Northeast and third in India to have embraced the Integrated Child Protection Scheme, also known as the Child protection Services.
As envisaged in the scheme, he said all necessary service structure had been put in place both at the State and district levels.
He mentioned that recognising the role played by various agencies and organisations in ensuring rights of the children was required to create a platform where all the stakeholders could come together to share their concern and ideas and, most importantly, get to know each other.
Officials and representatives from Nagaland State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Labour department, Police, NSLSA, State Resource Centre for Women with 181 helpline and one stop centre, Nagaland Alliance for Children and Women Rights, Child-line (Kohima and Dimapur), district child protection units and childcare institutions run by NGOs and the government attended the consultative meet.