Kohima, April 21 (MExN): Orientation Programme on Adoption Regulation 2017 for Multi-Stakeholders was held at Red Cross Kohima on April 21 with representative from the Non-Government Organizations, Civil Bodies, Prospective Adoptive Parents, Child Welfare Committees, Nagaland Legal Service Authority, Child Care Institutions, Nagaland Alliance for Child Rights, Child Line, State Resource Center for Women, District Child Protection Units and State Child Protection Society.
Renchumi Imti, Programme Manager of State Adoption Resource Agency Nagaland (SARA) in her welcome address informed that the Adoption Regulations 2017 has been framed keeping in mind the issues and challenges faced by the stakeholders in the implementation of the adoption programme.
Highlighting the Adoption Regulation 2017, Imti stressed on transparency, early deinstitutionalization of children, informed choices to the parents, ethical practices and a strictly defined timeline in the adoption process as the main featured of the new regulation. She expressed her gladness over introduction of Relative Adoption in the new regulation and hopes that it will go a long way in encouraging legal adoption in Nagaland as per CARA Regulations.
Saraswathi, Dy. Director CARA gave a highlight of the programme and hoped that similar programme will be carried out in the state so that the new adoption guideline will be made known to all the stakeholders. Saraswathi informed that there are two categories of children who come for adoption. They are orphaned and abandoned children. It is the CWC who shall declare the child legally free for adoption and the child shall be given for adoption only through SAA to the parents who have registered in CARINGS Website.
She cautioned that giving and taking a child for adoption without proper process will be illegal and can be penalized. She also elaborated on the procedures of adoption as per the new adoption guideline. She also encouraged the Child Care Institutions housing adoptable children to send for adoption. Otherwise the child who can have a family will be languishing in an institution which will have long term adverse affect on that child.
Vibhu Arya, Programmer, CARINGS took the technical session and demonstrated on how to navigate through CARINGS portal. CARINGS- Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System, is a centralized web based management information system for facilitating expeditiously adoption process. Any Parents who wants to adopt a child can login and get themselves registered online in www.cara.nic.in
Society Director, Nyuseitho Nyuthe highlighted on the current practices or customary practices of adoption prevailing in Nagaland which is done without following any legal procedure. But now time has changed and he challenged the stakeholder to go back and spread awareness on legal adoption.
Raitale Zeliang Programme Manager-SCPS in her Vote of thanks thanked the Central Adoption Resource Authority for sponsoring the programme. She also thanked the two resource persons Saraswathi, Dy. Director CARA and Vibhu Arya Programmer CARINGS for coming all the way from Delhi to share their knowledge and experiences.
James Basnet, a celebrated musician shared his short life testimony on how he was forced to live a life of an orphaned when he was just 15 days old and how he was saved by the Love of God which he could not have from his biological parents. He also presented a song which was nominated for Grammy.
he programme was chaired by Pikato Tuccu, District Child Protection Officer Dimapur.
