‘Among others, it aims to address the issue of adoption in the most culturally sensitive and acceptable manner’
Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 19
‘Naga customary practices of child adoption,’ a book with exhaustive documentation of customary practices of child adoption by different Naga tribes of Nagaland was released on November 19.
The documentation compiled and initiated by Prodigals’ Home and published by the Social Welfare Department, Government of Nagaland, was officially released by the Advisor, Social Welfare, Home Guards & Civil Defence, Noke Wangnao.
Among other, the book is aimed at addressing the issue of adoption in the most culturally sensitive and acceptable manner.’
“Nagaland is facing major conflict between customary practices and legal adoption guidelines. The research documentation on Naga customary practices of child adoption can help in understanding and documenting various customary practices of different tribes and highlight the need for legal adoption in the state, for the best interest of the child,” said Director, Social Welfare, T Merangtsüngba Aier during the release.
Director, Child Protection Services Nagaland, Chubainla Jamir, said the book aims to have a proper understanding and documentation of Naga customary practices and also to address the issue of adoption in the most culturally sensitive and acceptable manner and also help in effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act and CARA, Ministry of Women & Child Development.
Chubainla hope the initiatives (Cradle of Hope and book) of the department would go a long way to effectively implement and coordinate appropriate services for children, and also strengthen the community as a whole with the knowledge and skills and avenues to protect children.
Director, Prodigals’ Home, K Ela, who gave presented a brief overview of the book during the book release, said to address the issue of ‘adoption’ in the most culturally sensitive and locally acceptable way, the solution lies in proper understanding of and documentation of Naga customary practices of child adoption.
Ela said this would help in effective implementation of State Child Protection Society programmes, particularly with regard to adoption of children.
She also raised some pertinent issues on adoption including whether Naga society or the State should go the customary way or follow the CARA Regulations 2017? What the Bible says about love and care of children?
“Can we have the best of the three put together and formulate a State Policy on child adoption?” Ela asked. Besides the compilation of customary practices of child adoption contributed by resource persons from each Naga tribe, and CARA guidelines, the book also contains a chapter on ‘Child adoption: indigenous perspectives” written by Dr Asangba Tzüdir, former Editor, the Heritage Publishing House.
