Every child you encounter is a divine appointment, not an accident, says K Ela
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Director of Prodigals Home K Ela addressing the gathering at a seminar on strengthening of child protection mechanism held in Dimapur on September 6.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Sep. 6: Nagaland Development Outreach (NDO) along with Prodigals Home and Childline Dimapur organised a one-day seminar on strengthening of child protection mechanism for Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) Dimapur church leaders and village child protection committee at Nagaland Missions Movement (NMM) conference hall in Dimapur on September 6.
Speaking at the seminar, director of Prodigals Home, K Ela said that “we are here today because we as a family, church and organisation has failed in our responsibility to protect our children.”
“Every child that you encounter is a divine appointment, not an accident,” she stated.
She emphasised on understanding child protection issues, child abuse, illegal child adoption, child trafficking, and children in conflict with law and childcare institutes. Citing her personal encounters, she said that there is an alarming increase in the number of ‘dysfunctional families’ where children are abused by their own parents; and a majority of child abuse cases happen in Naga Christian families.
“We are Christian but we do not practise true Christianity,” she lamented.
Ela said it was found out through a survey that about 70% to 80% of today’s teenagers said ‘Yes’ to having experimental and unsafe physical relationship. ‘The more we shy away (from reality), the more we victimise the child’ and we must stop blaming the children and look at our families; we adults, protectors of children, have turned into perpetrators,’ she added.
Stressing on the need to spread awareness on the issue, she said churches should play an active role in educating the people. She added that NGOs, government or other organisations won’t be needed to protect the children if churches are involved as they are one of the most powerful voices in Nagaland.
She urged the gathering to know the ‘child protection mechanism’ of Nagaland; how to avail the service and network for extending help; and to report cases to the concerned authority. “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken man and women,” she added.
Advocate Tia Longkumer also spoke about child protection and policies of laws at the event. He said psychological abuse is the worst abuse a child can encounter as it affects sub-conscious and lower the victim’s self-esteem.
Longkumer stressed on the need to be aware of the Juvenile Justice Act, which has many laws under it, including handling of cases involving juveniles with utmost care to ensure that a child does not go through mental and psychological abuse.
Lamenting that people are not aware of adoption procedures, he said ‘simply by giving shelter and education, one cannot adopt a child.’
