National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament. The Commission’s mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Along with its other functions and roles mentioned under the CPCR Act,2005, NCPCR is mandated to monitor the implementation of various provisions under key child rights legislations such as the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children), JJ Act, 2015, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education, RTE Act,2009, Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Amendment Act, 2016 and other Laws Relating to Children under themes such as Health & Nutrition, Child Psychology & Sociology , Prevention of Child Trafficking, Child Adoption, Child Marriage, Children in Street Situations, Prevention of Drugs, Substance Use amongst Children and Illicit Trafficking etc.
In the North-Eastern Region, apart from the Councils that come under the Sixth Schedule, Autonomous District Councils and Developmental Councils are also present in the State of Manipur and Assam. A sizeable number of children are inhabiting in the tribal areas under the administrative control of these Councils. Provisions have been made thereby conferring special status with specific powers to Autonomous, District Councils for administration of Tribal region of NER.
Regional, Territorial, Autonomous District and Developmental Councils of NER can play a vital role to ensure the rights of children in connection with their health and nutrition, protection against abuse, sexual offences, torture, trauma, maltreatment, neglect, street situations, labour situations, child trafficking and any/all violations and deprivations pertaining to the rights of children.
In order to ensure effective monitoring of various aspects related to child rights and child protection issues, the Commission has established a dedicated North East Cell. As per the mandate of NCPCR under Section 13 (l) (h) of the CPCR Act 2005, the NE Cell, NCPCR has organised a one day “Regional Level Orientation cum Consultation workshop of Autonomous/ Territorial Council of North East Region (NER) on Child Rights in Guwahati, Assam” in joint collaboration with Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) and State Child Protection Society (SCPS), Assam at Administrative Staff College, Khanapara, Guwahati on the 29th June 2022. Territorial/Autonomous/ Development District Councils of Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura ( including Chief Executive Members) of Northern Region States were invited for Regional level consultation. More than 100 representatives of Territorial/Autonomous/ Development District Councils of Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura officials from Assam State Child Protection Society and Assam SCPCR participated in the workshop .
Shri Partha Pratim Majumdar, Member Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Government of Assam and Member Secretary, Assam State Child Protection Society, ASCPS, welcomed all the participants and gave opening remarks in the inauguration session of the consultation. Smt Sunita Changakati, Chairperson Assam SCPCR highlighted the importance of collaboration and inter -departmental networking with duty bearers for protection of child rights at the maximum. She apprised the participants about steps taken by Assam SCPCR and project undertaken by the State Commission namely Suraksha operational for declaring child friendly constituency on certain indicators.
In his address , Shri. Jisnu Barua, Chief Secretary, Govt of Assam shared his concerns surrounding child care institutions and children placed in CCIs. He emphasized on the need of frequent visits to CCIs and stated that efforts should be made to give a homely environment to the children. Foster care should be encouraged and people should be prepared and identified around us to extend support for providing foster family and kinship care to the children residing in CCIs. He further stated that our success stories are very limited when the children move out of CCIs. Most of them are engaged in hotel services , beauty parlour and none are found in first class jobs. He shared his concerns regarding fruitful and positive engagement of children after leaving CCIs.
He also flagged the issue of child trafficking in Sixth Schedule areas of the States and long pending investigations of elopement cases.He said that local councils and leaders has a serious and important role in educating the society on such issues relating to children.
Shri Priyank Kanoongo, Chairperson , NCPCR started his address by thanking all the dignitaries and participants. He highlighted that, in recent past, issues of North Eastern region has been on prime importance of all policies/programmes of the Government of India. He shared that the allocated budget is utilized hundred percent in favour of North Eastern region. He acquainted the participants about the efforts being taken by the NCPCR to identify issues of children in various states and said that many complaints were received when the benches were conducted in the districts to hear the issues of children. He further stressed up on the need of a proper mechanism derived with the help of Territorial Councils ,to voice the issues of children before the Government. He further said that it is not possible without the collaborative efforts of the society and their leaders. Emphasizing on the objective of the programme, he stated that all the authorities should work together to improve reporting of the complaints relating to children. He pointed out the role of NGOs in social schemes and their influence on various policies and laws of the Government. To find out solutions for the problems of children in Government schools, he firmly said that until we do not consider Government facilities as our own, it will be difficult to bring change. It is for us to come forward and bring children voices before the government.
NE India Broadcast is a news and media platform, with focus on the Northeastern states comprising of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim and Eastern Region West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha.
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