Our Correspondent
Imphal, Aug. 23 (EMN): Number of cases relating to sexual abuses amongst children in Manipur has been increasing in an alarming rate since last year.
Disclosing this, Manipur Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo Singh while speaking at the closing function of mass awareness rally against child sexual abuse in Imphal on Tuesday said that more than 150 cases have been registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, till date.
He also stressed on the need to cooperate amongst the stakeholders in order to stop sexual abuses against children in the state.
Expressing concern over the increasing number of such cases, he said Manipur tops the list in reported cases of sexual abuses against children in the country which is quite unfortunate. He said all stakeholders including civil society organisations, Meira Paibis, local clubs and student organisations should cooperate to stop such crimes in the state.
He further said that mass awareness programmes regarding the POCSO Act will be organised in all the districts as it will help in creating awareness among the people and to stop such crimes. Organising such rallies will definitely help in spreading messages to the masses, he added.
Reiterating that children are the future of the nation, the minister said that any inhuman act like sexual abuses should be immediately reported so that follow up actions can be initiated against the culprits as it will recur if actions are not taken.
Earlier, a mass rally against child sexual abuse was flagged off by Additional Chief Secretary (Social Welfare P Vaiphei) in Imphal with active participation of more than 2,000 children from various districts of the state.
MLA Dr. Usham Deben Singh (Wabagai), Director (Social Welfare) Ng Uttam Singh, Deputy Director (CP) K Saroja Devi,Child Welfare Committee and Juvenile Justice Board members of all the 16 districts, Children Home from five districts, students, officials and staffs of Social Welfare Department attended the closing function.