‘If our children are not safe, our future is not secure’
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Mahendra Singh addressing the interactive session.[/caption]
EMN
Kohima, October 19
The Kohima District Legal Services Authority (KDLSA) on Monday organized an ‘interactive session’ on issues associated to child rights and protection. Mahendra Singh, the national director of Child Rights Initiatives, Human Rights Law Network was the resource person for the event.
Speaking during the occasion, Singh said that the first important thing in tackling an issue was through the use of dialogue. He said that the legal system ‘should be strengthened and taken forward instead of moving backward.’
According to Singh, in order to promote child protection issues the most important target was the community. He advised stakeholders to be cautious: when dealing with children, one should apply a suitable method by first creating a bond with the child.In his power point presentation, the speaker referred to statistics of child sex ratio, low birth rate and malnourished ratio, progress and drop out in educational sectors and status of crimes against children.
Also, Singh mentioned that while dealing with children issues, the best interest of a child should be always borne in mind. He mentioned that Nagaland was one of the leading states that engage child labor. The speaker has urged stakeholders to play a more proactive role in sensitizing the society.
Another topic he broached was the issue of setting up a set of Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) and Children Code. He proposed the code which if implemented he said would help stakeholders in identifying their roles better.
‘More of such interaction amongst the stakeholders should be there at a regular interval so that various issues relating to children are addressed and followed up and suggested upon the State Legal Services Authority to take the lead role,’ he said. If children are not safe, then our future is not secured,’ he added.
Also, Mezivolu T Therieh, Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kohima said that the Naga society today was in a ‘Catch-22’ situation ‘which raises a big concern that should not be overlooked.’ According to her, the day was an opportune time to be having a programme to talk as it was where all the stakeholders could discuss, interact and address the problems and at the same time work out a plan in bringing a change in the society. ‘We are laying a foundation for a better future by dealing with issues relating to the children,’ she said.
The judicial magistrate encouraged the stakeholders to take up responsibility and ‘walk an extra mile to reach the unreached. Our children are growing up in an environment where so many issues are confronting them due to which they are confused as to what is right and what is wrong because of conflicting laws and rules,’ she said.
She urged the stakeholders to coordinate and work together and ‘while doing so, learn the right way of doing it.’
Nino Iralu, Member Secretary of the NLSA said that the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority was working out a ‘comprehensive strategy from various sources for the stakeholders from different departments and nongovernmental organizations to impart training so that they will be well equipped in implementing the manifold legislations made for the protection of children.’
‘Sensitization on the provisions of laws for children is a necessity which is only possible if the stakeholders work together. Therefore, contribution of each of these stakeholders is a must if we want to see progress in protecting the interest of the children,’ Iralu said.
Earlier, Akumla Longchari, Panel Lawyer, chaired the session and gave a brief speech about the tremendous works and services rendered by the resource persons for the welfare of children in the country.
Representatives from the State Child Protection Society, Child Welfare Committee, the Childline, Lawyers Collective, Human Rights Law Network, Special Juvenile Police Unit, State Mental Health Institute, Observation Home and panel lawyers attended the session.
“The stakeholders have actively participated in the interactive sessions and showed their concerns in taking up children issues forward to make Nagaland a safer and secured place to live in,” the organizers stated in a press release issued on Monday informing about the event.
Mahendra Singh addressing the interactive session.[/caption]
EMN
Kohima, October 19
The Kohima District Legal Services Authority (KDLSA) on Monday organized an ‘interactive session’ on issues associated to child rights and protection. Mahendra Singh, the national director of Child Rights Initiatives, Human Rights Law Network was the resource person for the event.
Speaking during the occasion, Singh said that the first important thing in tackling an issue was through the use of dialogue. He said that the legal system ‘should be strengthened and taken forward instead of moving backward.’
According to Singh, in order to promote child protection issues the most important target was the community. He advised stakeholders to be cautious: when dealing with children, one should apply a suitable method by first creating a bond with the child.In his power point presentation, the speaker referred to statistics of child sex ratio, low birth rate and malnourished ratio, progress and drop out in educational sectors and status of crimes against children.
Also, Singh mentioned that while dealing with children issues, the best interest of a child should be always borne in mind. He mentioned that Nagaland was one of the leading states that engage child labor. The speaker has urged stakeholders to play a more proactive role in sensitizing the society.
Another topic he broached was the issue of setting up a set of Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) and Children Code. He proposed the code which if implemented he said would help stakeholders in identifying their roles better.
‘More of such interaction amongst the stakeholders should be there at a regular interval so that various issues relating to children are addressed and followed up and suggested upon the State Legal Services Authority to take the lead role,’ he said. If children are not safe, then our future is not secured,’ he added.
Also, Mezivolu T Therieh, Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kohima said that the Naga society today was in a ‘Catch-22’ situation ‘which raises a big concern that should not be overlooked.’ According to her, the day was an opportune time to be having a programme to talk as it was where all the stakeholders could discuss, interact and address the problems and at the same time work out a plan in bringing a change in the society. ‘We are laying a foundation for a better future by dealing with issues relating to the children,’ she said.
The judicial magistrate encouraged the stakeholders to take up responsibility and ‘walk an extra mile to reach the unreached. Our children are growing up in an environment where so many issues are confronting them due to which they are confused as to what is right and what is wrong because of conflicting laws and rules,’ she said.
She urged the stakeholders to coordinate and work together and ‘while doing so, learn the right way of doing it.’
Nino Iralu, Member Secretary of the NLSA said that the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority was working out a ‘comprehensive strategy from various sources for the stakeholders from different departments and nongovernmental organizations to impart training so that they will be well equipped in implementing the manifold legislations made for the protection of children.’
‘Sensitization on the provisions of laws for children is a necessity which is only possible if the stakeholders work together. Therefore, contribution of each of these stakeholders is a must if we want to see progress in protecting the interest of the children,’ Iralu said.
Earlier, Akumla Longchari, Panel Lawyer, chaired the session and gave a brief speech about the tremendous works and services rendered by the resource persons for the welfare of children in the country.
Representatives from the State Child Protection Society, Child Welfare Committee, the Childline, Lawyers Collective, Human Rights Law Network, Special Juvenile Police Unit, State Mental Health Institute, Observation Home and panel lawyers attended the session.
“The stakeholders have actively participated in the interactive sessions and showed their concerns in taking up children issues forward to make Nagaland a safer and secured place to live in,” the organizers stated in a press release issued on Monday informing about the event.