Officials and participants during the consultation on Child Safeguarding and Child Protection organised by Prodigals’ Home, in collaboration with District Child Protection Unit, Niuland and District Administration Niuland on September 17.
Prodigals’ Home, DCPU, District Administration Niuland hold consultation on child protection
Niuland, September 17 (MExN): Prodigals’ Home, in collaboration with the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) of Niuland and the District Administration Niuland, held a consultation on Child Safeguarding and Child Protection on September 17, with members of the Niuland community, police personnel, church committee members and students in attendance.
The event focused on holistic methods that could be used to protect and safeguard the children of Nagaland.
TL Kiusumong Tikhir, NCS, Deputy Commissioner of Niuland, graced the stage with his concerns for the welfare of children in Nagaland. He acknowledged that as a state, Nagaland has yet to catch up on the discussion of child safety, noting that the topic can be considered unfamiliar and is almost deemed taboo in the state, especially given the Christian background of society that promotes the concept of forgiving and forgetting. “Unfortunately, in that process, justice is denied to victims,” he said.
Tikhir, however, recognised the efforts put in by the law and commended the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), the Juvenile Justice Act and Labour Laws for striving to protect children. He highlighted that POCSO Section 2 (d) and the Juvenile Justice Act Section 2 (12) define a child as someone under-18 years of age, and stressed that children are the most vulnerable victims of society, therefore needing as much aid as they can get.
Despite these exemplary acts of law made for the protection of children, various cases continue to occur, he said, adding that this is only the tip of the iceberg. According to statistics, the Child Helpline receives approximately 26 calls a day, reportedly 13 of them from Nagaland. However, there are still many cases that fail to be reported or get swept under the rug, he said.
Tikhir urged people to take into account the importance of spreading awareness and sensitising the public to the topic of child protection. “Crimes against children are not just that, but crimes against society at large as well as the state,” he said. Addressing Naga society, he argued that instead of reverting to the Christian value of forgiveness, focus should be redirected to other values like justice and integrity.
The next part of the event was taken over by Lozua Kape and K Sanny, PD of Prodigals' Home, who spoke on “Enabling Holistic Safety and Protection of Children in Nagaland” and “Child Safety Guidelines.” Kape shone a light on the scenario of child victims in Nagaland with an eye-opening presentation filled with real-life cases from the State. She probed the audience with one simple question: “What kind of example are we setting for the youth of Nagaland?”
Kape encouraged the public to be the “eyes, ears, hands and feet” of children in need, closing with the message that doing good and carrying out the gospel of the Lord through one's actions is more fruitful than solely preaching about the faith.
Earlier, Tokavi, Counselor at Child Helpline, Niuland, led the programme and welcomed Teresa Sema, Children Pastor at Hozükhe Ghami Baptist Akukuhou, who began with an opening prayer. Kughakali Achumo, District Child Protection Officer of Niuland gave an introduction to the programme, touching on the importance of child safeguarding and child protection and the significance of the compilation of quotas that should be taken into account to protect the children of Nagaland.
The consultation served as a reminder of the collective responsibility that comes with protecting children and ensuring their safety. It also emphasised the need for greater awareness, accountability and action within the community so that children can grow up in a safer environment.
