Mezivolu T Therieh, NJS, District & Session Judge, Phek & Former Registrar of Supreme Court of India (M), Alun Hansing, Chairman, NCPCRC (4th from L), Er Sabou Yashu, Director IT&C (3rd from L), Dzüvinuo Theünuo, Director IPR (3rd from R), Alice Yhoshü, President KPC (2nd from R) seen with other officials and members of Kohima Press Club during the workshop at Hotel Japfü Kohima on July 19.
Morung Express News
Kohima | July 19
While there are ten fundamental rights that are guaranteed for children in India as enshrined in the Constitution, Chairman of the Nagaland State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NSCPCR), Alun Hangsing today stated that, “today we see gradual rise of unabated crime against children which was once alien to our society as we become more cosmopolitan in nature in spite of knowing that the life of every child is important as they are the backbone of the society.”
He was delivering the keynote address at the one-day workshop on “Understanding Child Rights & Child Protection: Role of the Media” organised by the Kohima Press Club (KPC) in collaboration with Nagaland State Commission for Protection of Child Rights as part of the yearlong celebration of the 25th Anniversary of KPC at Hotel Japfü on July 19 with Mezivolu T. Therieh (NJS), District & Session Judge, Phek & Former Registrar of Supreme Court of India as the Resource Person.
The fundamental rights include Right to Survival, Right to Education, Right to Protection, Right to Participation, Right to Development, Right to Health & Well-Being, Right to Identity, Right to Expression, Right against Discrimination & Right to Safe Environment. However, the Chairman asserted: “How much are we doing in order to curb this menace?.”
Stating that children are the biggest assets, he underscored that, “it is our sole responsibility to see that they grow up in a conducive environment to develop their mental and physical health without any fear from vices against them.” Only then, he said, “can we transform our society to our desired future ahead.”
He also highlighted that the NSCPCR is an autonomous statutory body vested with legal power, which is mandated to monitor and supervise all matters relating to children of 18 years and below, like programs, schemes, policies etc. and take cognisance of anything deviating or in contradiction of the Child Rights and act accordingly.
He expressed appreciation to the Nagaland Government and the Chief Minister, Dr Neiphiu Rio, who, he added, “is deeply concerned and committed towards the welfare of the children by understanding the importance that our future lies in the hands of our children.”
“It is the bounden duty of all the stakeholders, like us, and all the parents and every citizen of the state to promote the protection of child rights in its entirety,” he underscored.
He said that the main purpose of the workshop “is to know where to draw the line, particularly while dealing with cases relating to sexual and other abuses towards minors or children, by protecting the identity of the victim or information that may indirectly lead to knowing who the victim is.”
‘Media has a dual responsibility to inform & protect’
Even as the world becomes increasingly digital, Er Sabou Yashu, Director of Information Technology & Communication (IT&C), remarked that, “children are among the most active and vulnerable participants online” while urging that “the media, in all its forms—print, electronic, and digital—has a dual responsibility: to inform and protect.”
While media coverage can be a powerful tool to raise awareness about violations of child rights, he underlined that, “it must always be grounded in sensitivity, legality, and responsibility.” He further highlighted some key provisions from the Information Technology Act, 2000, which directly relate to the protection of children in cyberspace.
These include Section 66E, which penalizes the violation of privacy, including capturing, publishing, or transmitting images of a person’s private parts without consent; Section 67 and 67B that strictly prohibit the publication or transmission of obscene material and sexually explicit material involving children, which is a punishable offense with imprisonment and fines; Section 69A that empowers the Government to block public access to content in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, including content that harms minors; and Section 79(3)(b) that mandates that intermediaries, including social media platforms and digital news outlets, must act against unlawful content when notified by appropriate authorities—failing which, they lose their safe harbor protections.
As media professionals and communicators, he urged that, “your role is not only to amplify voices and stories, but also to safeguard the identity, dignity, and rights of children” which would mean “Avoiding sensationalism in child-related stories, Refraining from revealing identities of minors in conflict with law or in distress, and verifying facts before publication—especially in a digital environment where misinformation spreads rapidly.”
“The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, also clearly prohibits the disclosure of identity of children involved in any legal or welfare proceedings. This aligns with the core principle of child protection: the best interest of the child,” he highlighted.
He said that the Department of IT&C is committed to working with media houses and digital platforms to ensure that the state’s digital and information ecosystem supports safe, inclusive, and responsible reporting.
He appealed to the media community to remain vigilant, ethical, and child-sensitive. “Let us uphold the principles of justice and compassion while leveraging the power of media for awareness, advocacy, and accountability.”
Director of Information & Public Relations (IPR), Dzüvinuo Theünuo said that the NSCPCR alone cannot tackle this problem. She stated that while there are different agencies of power, the media has the power to inform and form opinions. By and large, she observed that the media in the state is a responsible but also noted that with the onslaught of digital media, there are more challenging times ahead.
Along with factual reporting, she urged the media personnel to present their stories in such a way that it does not only cover the facts but also informs and educates the readers, while reiterating that the role of media can never be underestimated.
Highlights of the one-day workshop included a Q&A session and vote of thanks by Akumla Longchari, Member, NSCPCR while Seyiekietuo Keretsu, Member KPC chaired the programme.
