Child protection should begin at home, says DC Kohima

KOHIMA — Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kohima, Shanavas C, has insisted that protection of child should start from one’s own houses by imparting the children to understand the nuances on ‘what is right and wrong.’

Shanavas stated this during a one-day sensitisation-cum-consultation workshop on handling of Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act 2012 for public prosecutors and child welfare police officers in Northeast region held at SIRD conference hall in Kohima on Friday. The programme was organised by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), in collaboration with Nagaland State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NSCPCR) and facilitated by Seva Bharati Purbanchal.

Speaking on the occasion, Shanavas has pointed out three issues in which the society is not comfortable to discuss openly on public platform. The issues, according to him, included child sexual abuse, menstrual hygiene and sexual reproduction.

Underlining the necessity to follow the right approach by teachers, parents and law enforcing authorities in dealing with child rights, Shanavas has stressed on the need to create awareness among the teachers and parents. While acknowledging that many people do not want to talk about sex exploitation, he felt that parents should teach their children on ‘what is good touch and bad touch.’

Shanavas also asked the enforcement agencies not to victimise those who have undergone exploitations but be gentle in their approach. He also called upon the society not to discriminate any child irrespective of their origins and backgrounds but to treat them well as they are the future of the nation.

Meanwhile, the chairman of Nagaland State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NSCPCR), Alun Hangsing, has stressed on the need to create congenial environment for the children to develop and give protection for them to grow for which he sought concerted efforts of everyone.

Earlier, the welcome address was delivered by Akumla Longchari, member of NSCPCR, while speeches were also delivered by Payal Sharma, division head of Child Labour and Children in Distress, and Shashank Shekhar, advocate at Supreme Court of India, as expert resource persons.