A sensitisation cum Training programme for journalists on Right-based reporting on incident of human trafficking and child right issues was organised on Monday by FXB India Suraksha at VTI Auditorium, Muolhlun, Rangkai, Churachandpur.
Sponsored by ECPAT Luxembourg, it was attended by most reporters of local and state (electronic and print media) from Churachandpur District.
A Wungruso Shangh, Programme officer of FXBIS, Ukhrul Branch and Khoinujam Sunil Meetei, Programme officer of FXBIS, Imphal Branch were the resource persons with the former speaking on Child Right issue while the latter spoke on Human Trafficking with emphasis on Child trafficking.
The speakers basically spoke about the do's and don'ts of reporting about children below 18 years which were not allowed under various sections of Indian law.
Wungruso Shangh, while speaking about child rights, said that as per the law, unbiased and ethical report is called for and also spoke about Juvenile Justice Act 2015, which covers children in need of care and children in conflicts with law which were to be taken by Child Welfare Committee and JJ Board respectively. He said that age determination was very important which, as per the law, can be proven through school records, birth certificates from the government and Ossification.
Section 75 - punishment for cruelty to Juveniles, Section 77 - penalty for giving intoxicating liquors or narcotic drugs or psychographic substances to juveniles, etc. were the highlights of his speech.
He also talked about study of child abuse by the Ministry of Women and Child Development where 12,447 respondents said that many of them had faced one or two forms of sexual abuses in which 52.94 per cent are boys and 47.06 per cent are girls, thus leading the enaction of POCSO Act, 2012. He also said the reporters about the use of terminology like children in conflict with law and not criminals, apprehended and not arrested, enquiry and not trial, etc.
Khoinujam Sunil spoke on human trafficking stating that 'Manipur is one of the well-known states that has its name epitaph in human trafficking and which is likely to be higher with the coming of railways in the coming years. But we know that we are in the international borders and many cases are detected as Manipur is used as a Transit centre by human traffickers whose destinations are elsewhere, he said.
He pointed out that most cases are happening due to the desire to get free education, employment and more paying jobs, etc. which are used as mechanisms by traffickers. He cited at least eight such cases that are encountered by them.
