Dimapur, August 27 : The Nagaland Child Protection Society collaborated with the Kohima District Legal Services Authority for a training program for the Juvenile Justice Board of Nagaland at Mount Tabor Retreat House in Kohima on the 23rd.
During the inaugural session, Z Nyusietho Nyuthe, joint secretary for Social Welfare gave a brief introduction about the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), a centrally-sponsored scheme that aims at building a protective environment for children in difficult circumstances.
The aims of ICPS are not only to create environment for protection for all children but also to recognize children who need special attention and support, Nyuthe said. Accordingly, interventions within the schemes focus on children in need of care and protection and children in conflict with the law. It is based on cardinal principles of protection of Child Rights and in the best interest of the child, he said.
Another speaker at the event was Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kohima Mezivolu T Therieh. She spoke on topics of Child Rights and the roles and responsibilities of juvenile justice boards. Therieh emphasized that child issues were the issues that confronts the society ‘every day.’ If they are not tackled now, she said, the future of the children in concern would be bleak.
Further, Therieh highlighted the factors which she said affect the child “as they are living in an unfair world where sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse etc. are on rise.” children are the most vulnerable group in the society, she said.
“...if they are not protected from such circumstances the future of the nation is in jeopardy.” She said that violence against children is on rise. She cited records: in the year 2015, crimes against children rose to a high of 52.5%. As India is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Right of a Child (UNCRC), it gives special emphasis on four articles. She spoke about the country’s constitutional provisions which include Article 14, Article 15, Article 21 and Article 23.
Therieh called upon the stakeholders to work together “to achieve what has been implemented.” Speaking on the role and responsibilities of the Juvenile Justice Board, she said that one has to study cases very cautiously before dealing with cases pertaining to children. One must have to deal with the juveniles with care, Therieh said.
Also, she spoke about “biopsychosocial” aspects of issues associated with children and the rehabilitation and ‘social re-interrogation’ of the child.
‘The responsibilities of the JJB are to ensure that juvenile are not subjected to ill treatment, they are granted free legal aid and right to counsel, probationary officer are informed by the police officer, etc,’ she said. Therieh also emphasized on the functions of the board, what police officer has to do after apprehending a juvenile and the “post production process” by the justice board.
Another speaker Raitale Zeliang, programme manager of the SCPS-N, gave an overview of the ICPS. During the presentation, she said that the main purpose of the ICPS was to bring the multiple existing child protection schemes of the government under one comprehensive “umbrella” and integrate additional interventions to protect children and preventing harm.
Zeliang explained that the protection of children was the primary responsibility of the family and should be supported by the community, civil society, and the government.
Strengthening of the family is equally important, she said, ‘Because a loving and caring family is the best place for the child to develop in.’ She talked about the ‘strengthening’ of the Central Adoption Resource Agency, and the State Adoption Resource Agency. The speaker advised that adoption of a child should be done through ‘proper legal procedure.’
Esther Aye, a legal aid counsel and a trainer with the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority also spoke during the event. She spoke about Juvenile Justice Act of 2015. In her presentation, Kaye said that the statute was an act to consolidate and amend laws relating to children alleged and found to be in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection. It caters to their basic needs through proper care, protection, development, treatment, social reintegration; by adopting a child-friendly approach in adjudication and addressing matters in the best interest of children; for their rehabilitation through available processes and institutions.
She also said that, the provisions of the Constitution confers powers and impose duties on the State Government to ensure that all the needs of children are met and that their basic human rights are fully protected.
Aye also spoke on the general principles which are to be followed in administration of the Act, where any child shall be presumed to be innocent of any mala fide or criminal intent up to the age of 18 years.
Stressing on the preliminary assessment into heinous offence by the Board, she said that the Board shall conduct a preliminary assessment with regard to his mental and physical capacity to commit such offence, ability to understand the consequences of the offence and the circumstances in which he allegedly committed the offence. She also stressed on other points such as the procedures in relation to children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection, process of rehabilitation, and social reintegration, etc.
Satahi Shujoh, program manager of the SCPS spoke about the convergence and coordination of the Juvenile Justice Board with other stakeholders. Another matter the speaker talked about was file management.
In his presentation, Shujoh said that a most important aspect of the ICPS was to create a space in which statutory bodies under the Juvenile Justice Act, and the central and state departments of Women and Child Development, and then judiciary could work together to create a safe environment for children.
Also, the ICPS envisages a strong partnership and integrated efforts among stakeholders to impact the lives of children ‘towards a future where there would be a minimal number or no children in need of care and protection.’
