ITANAGAR, 19 Nov: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) stated that both the central and state governments are committed to protecting the rights of every child in Arunachal Pradesh and other states across the country. The onus is on all stakeholders to realize the objectives of the governments, said Paresh Shah, Division Head for Juvenile Justice and Laws Relating to Children at the NCPCR.
Shah was addressing participants in the inaugural session of the state-level conference on “Gaps and Challenges in Implementation of Key Child Rights Legislations,” organized by the NCPCR in collaboration with the Education department of the state government, at the Dorjee Khandu Convention Centre here on Monday.
Senior government officials, members of the judiciary, police, academia, and representatives from civil society, child-care institutions, and educational establishments attended the conference to review implementation gaps and identify actionable solutions under key child protection frameworks, including the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and the Manual on Safety and Security of Children in Schools, Child Trafficking, and Student Suicide Risk Reduction.
“Child rights cases are not mere statistics. Each one is a story of a child and a family. The lives of our citizens and the future of our country depend on the actions taken by government officials,” Shah said.
He stressed the need to create awareness among officials through training, among citizens through various media, and among other key functionaries by arranging conferences and workshops.
Shah informed that, in the last six months, the NCPCR has disposed of around 26,000 cases, rescued over 2,300 children, repatriated more than 1,000 children to their home districts’ CCIs, and introduced the latest technology for managing NCPCR operations.
He apprised the participants of NCPCR’s future endeavors, which include addressing children’s mental health issues, developing an AI tool to combat child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and devising new strategies to address challenges arising from the implementation of key child rights legislation.
“The Sugar Board initiative of NCPCR has been adopted by a large number of schools,” he said, while requesting the state WCD department and SCPCR to implement it.
SCPCR chairperson Ratan Anya gave an overview and situational analysis of the gaps, challenges, and best practices in implementing the JJ and POCSO Acts.
She highlighted recent incidents that “have exposed major gaps in safety, monitoring, and reporting mechanisms for children across Arunachal Pradesh.”
Anya further said, “Recent incidents remind us that while our laws are strong, our systems still have critical gaps in safety monitoring and reporting, and every gap places a child at risk.”
She pointed out the key challenges faced while investigating POCSO cases by APSCPCR, noting that a lack of awareness among stakeholders is a major challenge for the state.
Anya also highlighted the grim situation caused by the lack of robust mechanisms for addressing child trafficking, child labor, the joint action plan of NCPCR and NCB for eliminating drugs and substance use among children and its illicit trafficking, the implementation of Prehri Clubs in schools, proper monitoring of Residential Educational Institutions, and the lack of implementation of the provisions of the COTPA Act, all of which require the attention of the concerned authorities of the state government.
Anya called for more awareness workshops and campaigns by the NCPCR in Arunachal Pradesh and also requested education commissioner Amjad Tak to issue directions for conducting sustained audits of schools.
Tak, in his address, urged DDSEs to take safety aspects very seriously and undertake safety audits of all schools as per the ‘Manual on Safety and Security of Children in Schools,’ published by NCPCR.
He informed about the formation of a task force by the state education department to ensure child rights in schools. The education commissioner also commended the NCPCR’s initiative in conducting the much-needed state-level conference on child rights issues, gaps, and challenges.
APSCPCR member Ngurang Achung delivered a presentation highlighting the importance of mandatory reporting as per Section 19 of the POCSO Act, 2012, and the steps to be taken in the aftermath of a child sexual abuse incident.
Achung elaborated on the types of child sexual abuse and shared important helpline numbers to be displayed in schools.
APSCPCR legal advisor Bini Nyaruce explained the nuances of the JJ Act, 2015, its implementation challenges, and the situational analysis of the state while implementing the provisions of the JJ Act.
Rajiv Gandhi University’s Dr. Tarun Mane spoke on the pertinent psychosocial issue of suicide among children. He gave a national overview and state-specific reasons and remedial measures for Arunachal Pradesh.
NCPCR consultant Pooja discussed initiatives of the anti-child trafficking cell and the North East Cell of NCPCR.
She informed about the “Baal Taskari Se Aazadi 3.0” special campaign by NCPCR in 200 bordering districts of the country, including Arunachal Pradesh, aimed at preventing and combating child trafficking.
Itanagar Women Police Station inspector Dopi Pakam gave a situational analysis of child trafficking in Arunachal Pradesh. She discussed paedophilia and its perpetrators and spoke on the roles of DCPUs, CWCs, and DLSA.
Highlighting the vulnerability of children in trafficking cases and how a known person can be a perpetrator; Pakam emphasized the need for awareness on child trafficking at all levels.
