Our Correspondent
Kohima, June 14 (EMN): The Nagaland chapter of Childline 1098, which currently has its presence in six of the 12 districts, recorded a total of 265 cases during the Covid-19 pandemic last year- from April to December 2020, with maximum cases reported from Dimapur.
The highest case intervened during the period was 'emotional support and guidance' with 60, followed by 45 cases each of 'protection from abuse' and other interventions, according to statistic provided by Childline Dimapur.
The Childline’s intervention of cases ranges from medical, shelter, restoration, protection from abuse, sponsorship, child lost and missing, parents asking help, emotional support and guidance, and other interventions.
While maximum cases of intervention came from Dimapur, Kohima and Mokochung districts, the other three districts reported fewer cases. This is because the Childine service was launched only recently in Peren (2019), Kiphire and Mon (2020), it was informed.
Co-ordinator of Childline Dimapur, Loza Kape informed Eastern Mirror that child abuse cases have increased, particularly in Dimapur, to some extent during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She revealed that the team intervened around ten cases related to child abuse- sexual, physical and emotional within two weeks.
Childline Dimapur intervened 174 major cases from April 2020 to March 2021, she informed. The team further reached out to 1847 children with different support system like dry ration, mobile phone, and counselling related to pandemic during this period.
Besides, the Childline team in five other districts reached out to over 2400 children with support system from April to December 2020.
It may be mentioned that Nagaland Childline 1098 based in Dimapur was started in 2011 before it was extended to five more districts -- Kohima, Mokokchung, Peren, Kiphire and Mon.
The Childline 1098 (toll free) is a project supported by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development. The Ministry earlier planned to extend the service in all the districts by 2020. However, it could not be extended to the remaining districts as planned because of lockdown.