Kohima, November 17 (MExN): Child Protection Services (CPS), Nagaland has started the Child Rights Week 2018 celebration from November 14 till November 20. National Children’s Day is celebrated on November 14 and International Child Rights Day is celebrated on November 20 every year. In the period between these two dates various events have been planned out for mass awareness on child rights, stated Raitale Zeliang, Programme Manager, Child Protection Services Nagaland in a press release.
The ongoing awareness campaign against Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) in Schools and Child Care Institutions shall be carried out in all the eleven districts by the Districts Child Protection Units. “The increasing number of child sexual abuse is a growing concern in the State. The CSA awareness campaign aims to provide the children with knowledge of what child sexual abuse is, know about preventive and safety measures and importance of reporting such cases,” the release added.
On November 14, Children’s Day was also celebrated in Observation homes and Special Homes. Until early 2013, Nagaland had only one Observation Home and one Special Home, both located at Pherima. “Majority of the cases went unreported or got compromised at the Police Station itself as transferring these children became a problem,” the release stated. “The much needed intervention could not take place which encourages such children to repeat offences and thus becoming a liability to the society.”
It also added that only after 2013-2016, that under Child Protection Services Department of Social Welfare, Observation Home was established in each and every districts of the state. At present there are 11 Observation homes and two Special Homes for juvenile delinquency.
District Child Protection Units also distributed small gifts to the children living in child care institutions which are not funded or aided by the government. Around 300 children were covered. There are around 68 child care institutions in Nagaland at present.
