Niuland DC TL Kiusumong Tikhir calls for greater awareness and accountability in child protection, urging justice and collective action to safeguard children.
DIMAPUR — District Commissioner of Niuland TL Kiusumong Tikhir has called for greater awareness and accountability in addressing child protection issues, stressing that crimes against children affect society as a whole.
Tikhir was speaking at a district-level stakeholder consultation on Child Safeguarding and Child Protection organised by Prodigals’ Home in collaboration with the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Niuland, and the district administration on Wednesday.
Members of the police, church committees, students and the community attended the consultation, which focused on approaches to safeguarding children and strengthening child protection.
Tikhir observed that discussions on child safety were still relatively unfamiliar in Nagaland and, in some cases, treated as taboo. He said the emphasis on forgiveness and forgetting in a Christian society could, in the process, result in justice being denied to victims.
While acknowledging existing legal safeguards, he highlighted the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Juvenile Justice Act and labour laws as measures aimed at protecting children. He noted that both the definition of a child under Section 2(d) of POCSO and Section 2(12) of the Juvenile Justice Act covers persons below 18 years of age.
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According to Tikhir, the Child Helpline receives about 26 calls a day, with around 13 reportedly coming from Nagaland. He said the figures represented only reported cases, with many incidents going unreported.
He called for greater public awareness and sensitisation on child protection, and urged the community to place greater emphasis on justice and integrity alongside forgiveness.
The consultation also featured sessions by Lozua Kape and K Sani of Prodigals’ Home on “Enabling Holistic Safety and Protection of Children in Nagaland” and child safety guidelines.
Kape presented cases involving child victims in Nagaland and urged participants to consider the example being set for children and young people. She called on the public to act as the “eyes, ears, hands and feet” of children in need.
The programme was led by Tokavi, counsellor at Child Helpline, Niuland. It began with an opening prayer by Teresa Sema, Children Pastor at Hozükhe Ghami Baptist Akukuhou.
Kughakali Achumi, District Child Protection Officer, Niuland, introduced the programme and spoke on the importance of child safeguarding and protection.
The consultation concluded with an emphasis on collective responsibility, awareness and action to create safer environments for children.