EMN
Dimapur, January 23
Kohima District Legal Services Authority (KDLSA) organized an orientation program for members of the District Legal Services Authority members, panel lawyers and paralegal volunteers in Kohima town on Saturday, January 23, at the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) in Kohima.
The topic for the program was ‘National legal services authority new schemes.’ The member secretary of the NSLSA, Nino Iralu, was the resource person of the event.
In her discourse, Nino Iralu gave a preview of seven new schemes of the NLSA that were launched in November 2015 and mandated for implementation starting from 2016. She explained the schemes such as the Victims of Trafficking & Sexual Exploitation scheme. She also highlighted the duties of panel lawyers and paralegal volunteers who are to act as a bridge connecting the victims to the authorities in concern such as the Social Welfare department, police and NGOs by identifying the victims and help them receive protection and benefits.
Another scheme the speaker talked about was the NALSA (Legal Services to Unorganized Sectors). The scheme is being introduced for the welfare of the workers in the unorganized sectors. Iralu said that many of these workers are not registered workers. They do not have identity cards nor do they get the facilities and benefits which they are entitled. Therefore panel lawyers and paralegal volunteers are required to work towards the workers who fall under this category.
Another, the NALSA (Child friendly Legal Services and their Protection) scheme is for children. Children are the most vulnerable sections of the society, Iralu said. ‘…unless they are provided with proper opportunities, the opportunity of letting them grow into responsible citizens of tomorrow will slip out of the hands of the present generation therefore this scheme is introduced for which some of the stakeholders are the panel lawyers, JJBs, CWC, SJPUs,’ she said.
Another scheme she talked about was the NALSA (Legal Services to the Mentally Ill and Mentally Disabled Persons) scheme. The mentally ill or disabled are usually stigmatized therefore it should be the prime concern of the legal services institutions to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms to them, Iralu said.
She also highlighted on NALSA (Effective Implementation of Poverty Alleviation Schemes) which was introduced to lay down mechanism for identification of poverty alleviation and social security measures. She said that Nagaland being a tribal state, there were ‘lots of schemes available to the poor people,’ she said.
