Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) chairperson Keisam Pradipkumar has appealed to the state government to approve the draft Manipur State Policy for Children, 2020.
The chairperson made the appeal during a convergence workshop among stakeholders working in the field of child rights and education held on Friday at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal.
The convergence workshop was organised by Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) in partnership with Samagra Shiksha, Manipur.
Chairperson Keisam Pradipkumar said that the draft policy remains to be approved, as it was very much related to the ongoing conflict situation. The policy was a conflict oriented special policy, he added.
He also highlighted that while making the policy the committee thought it would not fit into the state. But now that the conflict situation is affecting children, it can be addressed with the policy, he added.
About 40 per cent are children among displaced people and so, during such war-like conflicts everyone should understand that children and women are excluded in any attack, he said, adding that if it happens it will be a war crime.
Social Welfare Department director Ng Uttam, responding to the chairperson’s appeal, said that he will put up the draft policy to the government after one last meeting with the committee that was formed for making policy.
The director also called for excluding children below 18 years while forming village volunteers or village protection forces.
He informed that for giving protection, there are integrated child development and integrated child protection programmes under the social welfare department. Under such a programme, benefits to education including health welfare are there.
He suggested opening a crisis intervention centre in every school, as it was directed by the Supreme Court of India adding that it will help in counselling students who use drugs.
He urged the education department and school authorities to go in detail and get data of every student while giving the transfer certificate. If anyone tries to get a transfer certificate for studying outside the state, then inform the social welfare department or child welfare committee, he said.
He appealed to everyone to send students outside state after verification.
During the technical session, Samagra Shiksha coordinator KGVB and Residential School, Haobam Leishembi Chanu spoke on placement of displaced children in residential schools, challenges and possibilities.
Project officer Mala Lisham of the Social Welfare Department spoke on the status of inclusion of displaced children under the sponsorship programme (Mission Vatsalya Scheme).
Advocate Thiyam Rajkishore spoke on the prerogative of the commission, convergence with stakeholders, MASLSA, SW, education (S), CWC, JJB, DCPU and others.
The programme was attended by members of the child welfare committee, members of District Child Protection Unit, and members of Juvenile Justice Board.
