MACR approach NCPCR for intervention and justice to JNV student suicide case

IMPHAL, Dec 11: The Manipur Alliance for Child Rights MACR, has drawn the attention of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights NCPCR to intervene and deliver justice to the recent incident of suicide of a student of class XII Science of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Umathel Thoubal district on November 29 last month.

In an official memorandum of MACR submitted to the chairperson, NCPCR Dr Shantha Sinha yesterday, elaborated that the victim of the corporal punishment meted out by the authority of JNV, Umathel Thoubal district, Chingkham Brington, 17, son of Ch Ibohal of Kakching Makha Leikai Naodam bazaar committed suicide and very suicidal case has been taken as an example of practicing corporal punishment and abetment to committing suicide of an innocent brilliant student.

The memorandum further recalled that, on November 29 last the deceased, a student of class – XII science, of JNV, Umathel Thoubal district, engaged into a friendly conversation with one girl student inside the classroom at around 9am some minutes before the class hour. On seeing the duo already inside the classroom, some classmates decided to make fun of the situation. They mokingly said, ‘We would not let you come out from the room’ and shut up the door of the room from outside. Brington also reacted with flash of humor and said, “Then, we would not allow you all to enter inside” the same door was shut up from inside.

It further recalled that, incidentally, one Chongtham Babita, one of the teacher, came there, however, she could not sense the humorous situation. Rather, she interpreted the situation very differently and charged the two students inside the room of indulging gross moral misconduct. Surprisingly, the said teacher did not listen to the statement and clarifications given by the eyewitness students who stood around the classroom. She even slapped twice to a student who tried to convince her about the truth behind the incident.

The official memorandum further mentioned that, instead of enquiring the matter calmly, Chongtham Babita immediately rushed to the principal and lodged a complaint against the two students. The principal also did not listen either statement of the eye witnesses or explanations from the two students in question. Chongtham Babita the teacher, scolded the two with accusation and abusive words continuously. Mayengbam Raghumani, the principal took a harsh decision and sent back the two students to their respective homes at around 11.30 am of the same day. On the other hand, student Brington, who could not bear the humiliation meted out to him in presence of his classmates, committed suicide at a nearby place at his village, on the same day.

The memorandum of the MACR further mentioned that after a fact finding visit, MACR is of the opinion that the opinion that the way the school authority dealt the case was totally non child friendly, stigmatizing, and unfair. Since school authority did not take time to consider either for cross verification with eyewitness or self explanations from the two students, it was a stark example of overriding the principles of fair ahd humane dealing with juvenile or child. Dignity and worth of the said two students were seriously hurt by the humiliation meted out by the school authority. Therefore, the MACR requested chairperson of the NCPCR to intervene the JNV Umathel suicide case, in order to deliver justice to the bereaved family and not to repeat such case of corporal punishment which gravely inflicting dignity, sentiment and emotion of children.

The memorandum further urged to take up necessary stern action, so that the NCPCR guidelines on prohibiting corporal punishment and the subsequent letter to chief secretaries of the state also the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s Guidelines and ruling of the Supreme Court on December, 1 2000 banning corporal punishment, are really followed and properly implemented in the state of Manipur.

The memorandum further urged specifically, to give direction to all concerned authority of educational institutions that a child rights cell/forum having facilities for child counseling in every schools is set-up so that children could lodge their complaints.

Finally, the official memorandum of the MACR requested the chairman NCPCR to give directions to the state government again to set up State Commission for Protection of child rights without further delay, since many child rights violation cases including child trafficking, child soldier, child abuse, atrocities to children living with HIV/AIDS are occurring so frequently in the state. Besides, the rights of children to free and compulsory Act, 2009 cannot be properly implemented without the state Commission for Protection of Child Rights in the trouble torn Manipur state, the memorandum added.

CCRP fact finding team on JNV student death case

Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 06 2010: A fact finding team comprising members of the Coalition on Children's Right to Protection (CCRP) Manipur and Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACRT) led by CCRP Core Working Group member AK Sanaton today started investigation into the suicide incident of a student of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Umathel in Thoubal district.

Seventeen year old Ch Briton, a student of the JNV Umathel, committed suicide on November 29 allegedly after he was scolded by the teachers on the charge of sleeping together with a girl student lodging in the hostel of the same school.

Taking serious note on the suicide of the boy, the fact finding team of the CCRP Core Working Group today started investigating into the incident to find out the truth behind the student committing suicide.

The team recorded revelation made by the families of the victim student and the girl who was charged of sleeping together with the deceased boy, their close friends in the school, officers of the police station concerned, principal and teachers of the school as well as representatives of the Parents' Association during the visit.

During an interaction with, Additional SP Thoubal, Th Shyamsunder said that police registered an UD (Unnatural Death) case and investigating into the case.

Police has so far taken statements of the principal, teachers and girl students of the school and also examining the post mortem report of the dead body.

If any suspect of outside influence in the death of the student, police will convert the UD case into an FIR case.

He also informed that Thoubal DC has already ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death of the student.

Kakching SDC has been entrusted to conduct the inquiry.

Convener of the Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR), Keisham Pradipkumar who was part of the fact finding team observed that while imparting education to the students, teachers should not give physical and mental violence to them.

Teachers and school managements are seemed to forget this at certain instances.

Right to education not fully implemented

Source: Hueiyen News Service / Basanta Thokchom

Imphal, December 05 2010: Even though the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) was extended in the state too, children are yet enjoy the same as government is yet to take up required steps to implement the Act.

The Act passed by parliament on August 4, 2009 describes the modalities of the provision of free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 in India under Article 21-A of the Indian Constitution.

India became one of 135 countries to make education a fundamental right of every child when the act came into force on 1 April 2010 .

However, even after the six months time given by the Centre to the states for taking up necessary works for the implementation of the provisions of the Act, the work remains unimplemented till date.

The six month period given by the Centre expired in October.

Even after the expiry of the deadline, state government has neither made the rules needed for implementation of the Act nor adopted the Central rules which the state can adopt for some times till the state's own rules are framed.

The state commission for protection of child rights which the state government is to set up to overlook the implementation of the Act and to deal with cases coming up from time to time regarding the abuse of the children's rights is also yet to materialize.

The setting up of the commission is a must under section 14 and 24 of the provision of the Act.

Among the states in the northeastern region except Assam and Sikkim no other states have established the commission.

In the two states, functioning of the commissions have already started.

As there is no authority to deal with the complaints against violation of rights of the children under the Act, complaints are to be lodged at the National Commission for Child Rights Protection.

The state advisory council for smooth implementation of the rights to education is also yet to be set up.

Even notifications inviting suggestions from the general people and other concerned have not been issued till date.

Steps for declaring local bodies like the panchayat, municipal councils and village authorities as local authorities for looking after the implementation of the Act are also yet to be taken up.

With regard to how far the children of the state enjoy the right to education, convener of the Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR), Keisham Pradipkumar said that MACR had submitted a memorandum to the state Education minister on September 20 urging him to take necessary steps for effective implementation of the Act.

But, no such necessary action has been taken up so far, he said insisting that as the Act is a constitutional right, there is the need for an effective implementation of the Act.

Children are to enjoy the right fully.

He also suggested that while framing the rules for the state, children who are victims of armed conflict, affected and infected by HIV/AIDS and should be taken into account.

Special provisions should be added so that special care can be taken up for them.

Children living with HIV, AIDS in Manipur

Growing up in a conflict zone, children living with HIV in the northeastern state of Manipur are deprived of more than their childhood.

Eleven-year-old Tina, who is HIV-positive, contracted measles and had to be taken to the far-off Imphal General Hospital. After initial treatment and medication was administered, the doctors referred her to an isolation ward of a neighbouring hospital.

When Tina and her mother arrived at the hospital, they found the isolation ward had been converted into staff quarters. So Tina returned home though her weakened condition demanded hospitalisation.

Consequently, she could not access the anti-retroviral therapy (ART) course either. She now lives in the shadow of death, without access to the only medication that promises survival.

According to the World Health Organisation, ART consists of the use of at least three anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs to maximally suppress the HIV virus and stop the progression of HIV disease.

Huge reductions have been seen in rates of death and suffering when use is made of a potent anti-retroviral regimen. The ongoing conflict within the state often leads to curfews and restrictions on movement, in turn cutting off access to ART.

Frequent shutdowns and blockades called by different actors add seriously to the problem. For HIV-positive children, it results in sporadic supply of medication to the hospitals and healthcare centres.

"Only two of the state-specified seven hospitals that offer ART are regularly stocked with the necessary medication," says Dipankar Majumder, director, development support, Child Rights and You (CRY).

"The hospital in Imphal gets overcrowded because people from all across the state come to it in the search of treatment."

CRY's Ashim Ghosh, who also works in the region, adds: "Patients have to travel for up to 40 km, in a place where public transport is non-existent, to access the central hospital. Even then, care is not guaranteed."

Staff absenteeism, especially in remote districts, is common, due to the frequent outbursts of violence. This means that even when people from remote areas manage to make the expensive trip to the city to get their monthly stock of ART medicines, they cannot always get a health check-up at the same time.

"The importance of a stable education environment as a nurturing setting in which children can be taught about HIV/AIDS is underrated. Schools can be, and often are, a place for peer-to-peer learning, myth-breaking and monitoring the spread of the disease in key populations at higher risk within the local community," says Majumder.

Lack of access to healthcare and education are not the only struggles in the lives of Manipur's HIV-positive children. Efforts to change people's existing perceptions of the disease remain woefully unaddressed.

The stigma attached to HIV and AIDS is still widely prevalent across all sectors of the Manipuri community.

There is little evidence pointing towards concentrated efforts by the government to address the issue of children living with HIV.

CRY partner CCRP (Coalition on Children's Right to Protection) works extensively to influence policies to benefit children in Manipur. It says that there is no adequate provision for shelter, education and food to deal with the emerging issues.

Key figures of the number of children living with HIV in India are not officially published. HIV-positive children don't even feature as a category in the Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS) 2007 Sentinel Surveillance report on the rate of HIV prevalence among various categories of population.

Even though Manipur was the first state in the country to have its own policy statement on AIDS, it has yet to develop a comprehensive plan to provide support and protection to children, both infected and affected by the AIDS epidemic.

"The situation of children living with HIV and AIDS cannot be separated from the other challenges that children in general are coping with in the region," says Yogita Verma Saigal, director, CRY.

Read more: Children living with HIV, AIDS in Manipur - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Children-living-with-HIV-AIDS-in-Manipur/articleshow/7022481.cms#ixzz17SJq96dE

With 36, 372 tested HIV positive, situation in state still face grim

Posted by support on November 20, 2010 in Top Stories 0 Comment

IMPHAL, Nov 19: A one day constituency level programme on behaviour change and communication on HIV & AIDS was held today at the Irabot Memorial Hall, Chalou Lamlai organized by the Manipur Legislators’ Forum on HIV & AIDS, MLFA.

The awareness programme was attended by Th Lokeshore Singh, Speaker in charge of the Manipur Legislative Assembly and chairman MLFA, Ph Parijat Singh, health and family welfare, CADA, Labour and Employment minister and Dr H Borajao, MLA Sekmai assembly constituency and treasurer MLFA as the chief guest president and guest of honour.

Declaring Manipur as HIV/AIDS capital of the country, Sushil Huidrom, state coordinator UNAIDS, in his keynote address said that it is the tenth constituency level awareness campaign organized in the state.

He further added that HIV/AIDS was first detected in the state 20 years ago.

The first HIV/AIDS state policy in the country was first established in the year 1996 in Manipur.

A total of 36,372 persons have been found positive from 4, 17,637 test till August 2010 in the state. Even though the state annual percentage of affected persons tested has been diminishing for the past few years, the present percentage of 5.01-5.09 is double the times of the national tested affected percentage, Sushil said.

The infection rate is highest in the mother to child infection in the state which stands at 12 percent of the total affected persons. Even though the number of IDU in the state has been diminishing in the state, the number of drug users has increased in the state, he added.

He has further elaborated that the number of heterosexual, CSW and drug abuse transmission is still high in the state as compared to the overall national transmission rate.

The state has a total of 2000 approx children living with HIV/AIDS, with the transmission rate at Tamenglong and Senapati district beginning to increase dangerously even though it is low compared to other districts of the state which has reached flashpoints.

Dr H Borajao in his speech stated that the state has 17,000 ART users in the state as of the 2010 June report of MACS.

He has further added that the forum along with various departments including the social welfare, rural and Panchayat and minority departments of the state will be sitting along to chart out the various steps to be taken up on the HIV/AIDS issue in the state.

In the meantime the state government will be taking up steps to introduce BPL cards for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Being young and HIV-positive in Manipur

By Paromita Pain

Senjenbam Noinoisana died recently. He was just 18 years old. Brutally murdered on April 7, 2010, his death was the culmination of all the discrimination he had faced in his short life.

Being young is not easy. Being HIV-positive and young in Imphal, state capital of Manipur, is perhaps as difficult as it can get. Allegedly killed for his property, Noinoisana was the HIV-positive child of AIDS-affected parents who died leaving him in the custody of his paternal aunt and uncle who mistreated him to the point of even denying him his ART (antiretroviral therapy) medicines.

Noinoisana’s case is common enough in Manipur which has the dubious distinction of having the largest HIV-positive population in the country. Children and young people bear the brunt of the AIDS epidemic, which is further compounded by insurgency issues in the state.

The condition of children in Manipur is, in many ways, representative of HIV-positive children and young people all across India.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS recently declared that a large percentage of AIDS patients in India were not receiving timely treatment, and that this would soon pose a huge challenge as the country attempts to fight the virus. For the rising number of children affected by HIV/AIDS in the state, ART and the right to a life free of stigma and discrimination is imperative.

A number of reasons including the fact that they are too young to understand the disease and that they are usually left to fend for themselves hinder access to care and ART. While adult and mother-to-child transmission is highlighted, affected children and their unique problems receive very little attention in Manipur. The rising numbers are testimony to the fact that the response to HIV and children must take into consideration all three aspects of children living with, vulnerable to, and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Youth at risk

The Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulates four guiding principles of survival, development and protection, non-discrimination and the best interests of the child, and participation as key principles in protecting and treating children with AIDS. Young people in Manipur deal with the same issues of discrimination that HIV-positive youth in other parts of India face. And some more. CRY’s (Child Rights and You) Jhilam Roychowdhury, who has worked on HIV in Maharashtra and Manipur, says: “Yes, I’d definitely agree. This was the first time I had heard of a child actually getting murdered because of his HIV-positive status! In Manipur, you’ll find small hamlets on the outskirts of villages where HIV-positive mothers and their children, who have been thrown out of their homes by relatives, try to eke out a living. We are creating a new group of ‘untouchables’, all because of the ignorance surrounding AIDS and the scarcity of medicines.”

Yet, children don’t ignore the reality of HIV/AIDS. After 14-year-old Bijay’s (name changed) father died of AIDS complications, he and his mother were unceremoniously thrown out of their home by relatives, with all their rights to home and property illegally revoked. His relatives got away with this because the boy and his mother were not aware of the legal recourse they could take. Also, the advancing disease was the main concern at this stage. Since he is a teenager, Bijay is able to go to hospital on his own, and is very particular about continuing his ART course. The family subsists on a stipend paid to his mother by another project. “My father’s family only allowed my elder sister to stay with them as she is not positive,” he says matter-of-factly.

Bijay’s views back up what Dr Priscilla Akwara, Unicef statistics expert, has to say. Recently awarded the IAS/CCABA Prize for Excellence in Research Related to the Needs of Children Affected by AIDS, at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Akwara and her team believe that not just HIV-positive children but children living in families of affected people must be considered vulnerable. Her research clearly states: “If an adult falls ill or dies, for instance, the child may have to leave school and work to support the family. Meals may not be available regularly, and the child’s access to healthcare may be limited. That’s why children who are orphaned or living with a chronically ill adult are frequently considered vulnerable.”

AIDS and child rights

Ashim Ghosh, who has been working with children’s rights in Manipur for the last two years, explains: “Three thousand children are HIV-positive in Manipur. Since public services like government-supported healthcare, the public distribution system, and anganwadis are almost non-functional in Manipur, children who are HIV-positive are practically left to fend for themselves, often with mothers who are infected as well. Without ART, survival is difficult. And ART is not easily forthcoming as there are exactly two hospitals offering the course. The one in the capital, Imphal, gets crowded because people from all across the state go there.”

Besides the scarcity of hospitals, practical factors like distance also play an important role. CRY volunteers working with HIV-positive children point out: “Patients have to travel up to 40 km, in a place where public transport is non-existent, to the central hospital. An added problem is that since these children are living in poverty, their diet during the therapy is not adequate.”

Take the case of 11-year-old Martina who lives with her HIV-positive mother. She contracted measles and had to be taken to a hospital in Imphal, some distance away. After the initial treatment and medicines, the doctors referred her to the isolation ward of a neighbouring hospital. When Martina and her mother reached that hospital, they discovered that the isolation ward had been converted into staff quarters. Martina is back home now, even though her condition demands hospitalisation. As a result, she cannot access her ART course either.

Understanding ART

Access to ART isn’t the only issue. Very often young children don’t understand why they have to take so many medicines. An important factor that is overlooked is counselling. Counsellors from the Wide Angle Social Development Organisation say: “Many don’t understand that even children have to know why they are being medicated when their friends don’t have to be. Children do not agree to take ART easily, even though they have to take orally administered drugs not injections. The benefits of counselling can’t be overlooked just because they are young. In fact, they need it the most.”

Activists and volunteers in Manipur believe that community-based support groups could play an important role in helping deal with such issues. “We call them mutual support groups, or safe spaces where HIV-positive community members can talk about and trace solutions to their specific problems,” explains Ghosh.

Roychowdhury seconds this view. She says: “We explain to the grown-up children who have the ability and the capacity to understand. They are told that HIV is a manageable disease and that the ART medicines are used to battle the HIV infection. We first talk to the parents and then we try to convince the children by saying that the medicines are like vitamins which are good for health and very necessary for them.”

Although organisations like the Kripa Foundation, based in Imphal, Manipur, are pitching in to enrol more young people in ART programmes, much more needs to be done. For, as the Kerala Children Advocacy Group (KCAG), affiliated to the Kerala Positive Women Network (KPWN+), findings have shown, children are willing to take their prescribed medicines but are often put off by the attitudes of caregivers administrating the doses.

Articulating needs

One strategy that seems to help combat the situation is CRY’s children’s collectives.

“Both positive children and those not affected are in the same group processes designed to erase discrimination among peers. It is a space for interaction using the ‘play way’ method; it later helps them disclose their status to their peers,” Roychowdhury explains.

In a state battling insurgency, the government often shifts focus to defence areas to the extent that vulnerable populations have little options to escape risk. A 2003 briefing paper from the World Bank estimated that India had the largest number of AIDS orphans in the world. It predicted that this “number is expected to more than double in five years, and the proportion of orphaned children will remain exceptionally high until 2020 or 2030”.

Ghosh warns that this might just come true, and says: “State authorities must invest in public facilities, infrastructure, and rights-related services such as primary healthcare, provision of ART for children, and schooling. This approach needs to be prioritised above the military approach to problem-solving in Manipur.”

Till informed awareness translates to proactive action, making treatment options cheaper and more readily available, cases like Senjenbam Noinoisana’s won’t remain rare.

(Paromita Pain is a senior reporter and sub-editor with The Hindu and its feature supplements Young World and NXg)

Infochange News & Features, October 2010

Education of HIV positive orphans win many hearts

Education of HIV positive orphans win many hearts

Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 19, 2010: "Its good that the education of my grand child has been insured.

Its like a heavy load taken from my head", said grandmother of Thoibi (name changed on request), a HIV affected child who has also lost both his parents to the disease.

Thoibi is 11 years old today and she is studying in class III in a private school.

Looking at her grandchild, the grandmother said, "How can an aged woman like me take the responsibility of educating my grandchild ? Yet she needs to be educated properly".

It has been declared that education is the birthright of every child and The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act has been implemented in the country to ensure this right.

Along with that, the Government of India has taken up special programmes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan to ensure education of every child in the country.

However, whether every eligible child is getting this right or not is altogether another story.

On top of this, the Govt has not taken up any specific programme to ensure education of children who have been either infected or affected by HIV and lost their parents to the disease.

Yet to ensure health and education of the HIV infected/affected orphans and help them lead a normal life like any other normal child, 93 children selected from every districts of Manipur under the mission of 'Education Support for Children Living with HIV and affected by the pandemic have been admitted to different schools.

Thoibi is one such selected students under this mission.

After both her parents passed away, Thoibi's health deteriorated on account of various opportunistic infections.

As a result, she had to stop going to school for about a year.

Today, her health has considerably improved and she has started attending classes again.

In the first examination of her school, she is among the top 10 rankers.

The mission of Education support for children living with HIV and affected by the pandemic, is being implemented in Manipur with the active responsibility and participation of Manipur Network of Positive People (MNP+).

So far, in all 93 children selected from various districts of Manipur including 15 from Bishnupur, 11 from Imphal West, 14 from Imphal East, three from Tamenglong and 10 each from Ukhrul, Senapati, Thoubal, Churachandpur and Chandel district are pursuing studies under this mission.

Thoibi said, "I like to attend classes and I go to school every day with one of my friends either on rickshaw or by foot.

I want to study hard and become a doctor".

Just like Thoibi, every child has ambition and hope.

In order to give wing to the hope of these children, the mission was launched in Manipur for the first time in 2009 along with ensuring education of 44 children.

In the current year, another 49 children have been admitted to school.

Under the mission, selected children are not only admitted to the school free of cost, but their monthly tuition fee, requisite exercise books and text books are also taken care of.

They are also provided with necessary treatment from time to time and other health check up facilities.

Interacting with The Sangai Express, convenor of the mission Maisnam Jhalajit said that there are around 6500 HIV infected/affected children in Manipur today.

Among them, there are many who could not go to school though they like to study.

Many of these children also have no access to the benefits of the projects being taken up with external funding.

So, this mission has been launched keeping in mind such marginalised and deprived children.

Jhalajit further explained that the implementation of the mission has been made possible from the contributions made by various individuals, commercial units and organisations at their level best.

Upto now, 97 philanthropists have been extending support to the mission.

He said that the main objective of the mission is to increase number of philanthropists so that more and more HIV infected/affected orphans can attend school.

Because education of the HIV infected/affected children in our society today should be responsibility of every one in the society.

Without proper guidance and education, these children may go astray and we cannot wait for the external funding projects to look after the needs of these young children.

Moreover, external funding projects are time bound.

So, the Government needs to take up special programmes in this regard.

Evict forces from schools in north east: SC to govt

Source- Hindustan Times

New Delhi, Sept. 1:The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to evict armed forces and paramilitary forces from schools and hostels in Assam and Manipur within two months. A bench headed by Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy gave the directions after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)

informed SC that children from the north-eastern states were leaving their home states in search of education and were getting involved in trafficking.

NCPCR claimed children were forced to run away as their schools were taken over by the armed forces.

After reading the report, the bench ordered the home ministry to ensure that schools and hostels are free of army and paramilitary forces and asked the human resource and development ministry to find out the list of schools occupied by the forces in the two states.

Further, the bench asked the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region to hold meetings with the seven north eastern states on various aspects of development.

The bench also asked Manipur, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka to respond to the NCPCR's recommendation to shut down unregistered charitable houses running schools and hostels. It asked the states to file affidavits in response to the commission’s suggestions.

The court also accepted the NCPCR's request to retain the authority to review the matter with the state government.

Retreat order from schools

Source- Telegraph

OUR LEGAL CORRESPONDENT

New Delhi, Sept. 1: The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to ensure all schools occupied by the armed forces are vacated within two months and to augment school infrastructure in the Northeast to stem trafficking of children to southern states. A two-judge bench issued the order on a PIL alleging that children below 16 years were being lured by promises of a better life and illegally taken from Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Arunachal in the Northeast to Andhra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The children are being separated from their parents by unscrupulous and unregistered orphanages and homes and kept in subhuman conditions, the PIL alleged. Most of the children are malnourished and some had been exploited, it added. The top court had on March 29, 2010, asked the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to inquire into the allegations. Subsequently, about 76 children were repatriated to their home states. The commission has since been monitoring the process. Today, it asked for court permission to continue this. It also suggested that a major part of the problem was the state of schools in the Northeast.

MACR Children Cultural Meet at Imphal- 25th July 2010

Meeting on child rights held

Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Jul 27: With an objective to implement free and compulsory education for children under the adopted  “Children’s Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009” a two-day consultation meeting with members of  Village Education Committees (VECs) representing different districts along with Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) was held at Hotel Imphal since yesterday.

The unique consultation meeting which concluded today made an active consideration on the need of the hour for timely implementation of recently enacted “Children’s Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009” in the state of Manipur, with demands for the acceleration of the implementation process of this Act.

The consultative meeting made an active observation to demand the setting up of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights which is indispensable to monitor and recommend proper implementation of the act. MACR is much concerned over the status of work of drafting of the Manipur state rules, as there is no such information for holding of consultation on the draft rules being prepared, even after completion of three months since enactment of this Act in April, 2010.

It was also further observed in the meeting that the state must speed up the process for making appropriate state rules, in which Manipur specific marginalized or disadvantaged children, such as children living with HIV/AIDS, conflict orphans, displaced children are covered in consultation with the civil society bodies.

It is high time now that the state notifies and re-orient its respective line officers. Local authorities like panchayat and municipal councils should take active role on effective implementation of the RTE. MACR urged the state government to ensure strong participation of civil societies in the preparatory and implementation stage of RTE in the state and MACR will take up all necessary steps at state and district level by organizing mass advocacy campaign to ensure that this Act is implemented for the benefit of the children of Manipur.

Children’s cultural meet held

IMPHAL, Jul 25: Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) organised a cultural meet at the auditorium of Manipur Dramatic Union today.
Children from different districts both from hill and valley presented dance in the programme. 
A report on the overview of children rights to protection in Manipur prepared by Coalition on Children’s Right to Protection (CCRP) was also released by Education Minister L Jayantakumar, who was the chief guest of the function.
Manipur State Women’s Commission Chairperson Dr L Ibetombi was the president of the function.
Speaking at the occasion, L Jayantakumar said that the main task of the society is to focus on our children by giving them affection and good education.
The Minister added that taking keen interest in this regard, Central Government has introduced many schemes for women and children by keeping a separate ministry.
Dr L Ibetombi while speaking in the function said that many infants die during delivery in the State. Many children also lose their lives due to malnutrition, she added.
She emphasised on the need to provide proper physical, social and medical attention while bringing up children.
Speaking on children’s education, Dr L Ibetombi said, there is need to maintain better coordination between teachers and parents. She also emphasised on maintaining peace in the society to give good education to the children.

MACR Demands probe into the kidnapping of two children

MACR condemned the incident of kidnapping of two children master Lairellakpam Nganba (12), son of L Ibochouba of Chingarel and Ngangbam Kuber (10), son of Ng Rajen of the same locality  by some unknown persons on 19 July  about 12.30 pm. Though  the two children escaped from a deserted house located somewhere in Dewlahland on 21 July, at around 7 am, when they regained  consciousness after nearly 45 hours of sedation by a gang coming  in a  Maruti Van, who overpowered them and  anesthetized using some  powerful chemical,  the perpetrators are yet to be traced out. MACR demands to conduct a proper investigation into the crime against the children to unearth other details such as who would be  the kidnappers, what were the possible  motives behind, what kind of chemicals could they have used to tranquilize   the children for such an long  hours?

 In Manipur, the incidents of kidnapping, child soldier recruitment and other form of child trafficking are still increasing, since most of the perpetrators and traffickers got off scot-free because of lack of proper  crime investigation and strong legal proceedings. We urge to setup a pro-active inter-sectoral collaboration among the different stake holders including police, social welfare department, medical department, CWCs, JJBs, NGOs   and civil society organizations to ensure immediate medical care, psychological treatment, social security to such victim children.

 

 

DESAM survey finds facilities lacking at schools

http://www.ifp.co.in/shownews.php?newsid=11053

IMPHAL, July 17: As a part of its drive to bring a better education system in the state, the Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur conducted a survey at various government schools located in Imphal West district today.

Giving details of the survey, a DESAM Imphal West unit release said altogether 11 schools located in Imphal West were covered in its latest inspection.

It said the survey was conducted at Rastrapati primary school, Keishampat, Trival primary school, Lamdeng, Public girls high school, Lamdeng Khunou, Ram Lal Paul high school, Keishamthong, Ideal girls primary school, Mayang Langjing, Mayang Langjing LP School, Mayang Langjing high school, Phayeng high school, Phayeng primary school and Heibongpokpi Leirenkabi high school.

During the survey, most of the schools were found lacking basic infrastructures like benches and desks apart from lacking other facilities.

In some of the schools, teachers were found absent besides failing to maintain attendance register, the DESAM said adding the number of students attending classes in some of the schools was negligible.

Regarding present condition of Ram Lal Paul high school, once regarded as a premier school of the state, the DESAM said the high school is awfully in bad condition today. It said the high school has many shortages due to lack of inspection by concerned authorities.

Of the total strength of 54 teaching staffs, 23 of them were found to be detailed for Census operation while only 11 teachers were found present and without maintaining attendence register. The school is also found to be lacking toilet facility apart from lacking benches and desks.

CCRP Workshop on Child participation

The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, June 30: With the objective of imparting leadership qualities along with competitive spirit to the downtrodden children of the state, the Coalition on Children’s Rights to Protection (CCRP), Manipur, conducted two-day children’s participation workshop cum cultural programme from June 28 to June 29 at MMKS Children Home.

During the two-day workshop, the children exhibited mind-blowing performance in various games and sports, social service and entertainment programme that included mimicry, songs, poem recitation etc.

A discussion session moderated by Lena Phanjoubam was also held during the two-day workshop. Various child rights activists participated in the discussion session which deliberated on several issues of the children staying at the children home.

The moderator of the discussion session, Lena observed that besides studies children need certain sort of recreation and relaxation so as to enable them to bring out their hidden talents. The children should not be made to confine only within the four walls of the classroom. They should be given adequate time for other extra-curricular activities so as to harness the pent up energy and ability they have inwardly, she said.

DESAM demands probe into primary teachers’ DPC case

source- Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, June 29: The Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has called for constituting a fact finding committee of the Manipur State Assembly to bring out the fact and circumstances over the controversies surrounding the DPC result of primary teacher examination held in December 22, 2006.

While briefing media persons in this regard in a press conference held today at the students’ body office, DESAM general secretary, Angamba, said the reason behind putting on hold the results of primary teacher declared on April 22 by the directorate of education (S) was due to interference of MLAs, Ministers and bureaucrats.

He stated that the irregularities in the selection of the teachers and transfers of top officers in charge of the department was an attempt to fool the people adding he appealed the Governor to intervene into the matter to unearth corrupt system running in the department.

Transferring of top official of the department is an act of blinding the public in order to save the reputation of legislators adding the act was a stumbling block for the campaign of DESAM to bring quality education and education free zone.

While stating that corrupt practice in education system will only bring down the education systems, Angamba appeal the concerned authority not to approve any of the appointed candidates until the fact finding committee submit their reports. The DESAM also warned to launch certain form of agitations if government fails to initiate immediate measure to bring out the truth behind the controversies.

During the press conference, the DESAM also produced a person allegedly involved in misappropriating the kerosene quota of about 500 litres meant for the hosteller of Imphal college.

The students’ body also said that the misappropriation was done for the month of April and moreover another fake permit for the month of May was also seized from the person’s possession.

The accused is identified to be one Keisham Jackie, 25, son of Tomba of Mayang Langjing Tamang.

He was an ex-student of Imphal College and the DESAM took over the case following complaints from the students of the college for necessary investigation. He was later handed over to his family after being given proper counseling by the DESAM.

Education is about teaching children how best to face the future: Governor

source- Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, June 29: Annual prize distribution function of the Board of the Secondary Education Manipur to the outstanding students of the HSLC examination, 2010 conducted by the Board of Secondary education Manipur was held today at the J.N Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal.

Governor Gurbachand Jagat who attended the function as the chief guest said the idea of education is not merely to impart knowledge to the students in certain subjects but also essential in bringing them up and develop in them the habits and attitudes which may enable them to face the future as well.

The Board of Secondary Education, Manipur has been conducting the High School Leaving Certificate Examination since 1973 and this year’s pass percentage of 61% is 4% higher than that of last year. Though the overall pass percentage increased, the number of 1st division holders is lower and the 2nd Division holders is higher than usual which could be a result of the disturbances prevailing in the academic scenario before the examination, the Governor said and appealed to all concerned to stop the bandhs and blockades in Manipur once and for all so that Manipur can develop as the leader of the developing states in the country governor added.

In the meantime, state education minister while speaking at function today elaborated the efford of the state government to develop the education sector to an upto date level.

State education minister further mentioned that apart from considering for maintaining quality education in the state, the current SPF government is also considering for the inclusion of new syllabus to various subjects.

Mentioning the posibilities of having irregularities in the recent declaration of the result of the Viva Vorce for the appointment of Primary Teachers, an inquiry commission head by the chief secretary of the state have already been constituted to find out the realities, and the state government will take neccessary actions against the concerned officials involved in any malpractices.

The state government is also considering for the appointment of primary teachers at merit list after cancelling the recently declared results of the same posts.

12 trafficked children from Manipur resqued from Chennai home

source- Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL June 29: Altogether 12 children from the state hailing from Bishnupur district were rescued from a Children’s home based in Chennai.

The children aged between 10 to 15 years were brought to Guwahati on June 27 by an NGO from Chennai.

The children were brought back to Imphal by air yesterday by officials of the state socail welfare department and Bishnupur Child Welfare Committee members.

The children, three girls and nine boys all belonging to the Meitei community were being kept at a Children home at Takyel, Imphal West, since their arrival in Imphal and were handed back to their parents today.

However IFP reporter who went to cover the story was denied access by a staff of the Children Home and stated that the journalist will have to wait until the director social welfare G Satyabati arrives as per her instruction.

Mediapersons waited accordingly but Satyabati failed to arrive while the rescued children were handed back to their respective families.

Media request for detailed information about the rescued children like names and addresses as well as the events leading to the rescue from Chennai were also simply ignored.

However, unconfirmed sources said the children were rescued from Oasis Children Home based at Nungambakkam, Sitanagar Colony, Chennai and all the children have become conversant in Tamil.

Learn from SSA mistakes for RMSA : Education Minister

Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 24 2010: Education Minister L Jayantakumar has called for learning lesson from the mistakes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) so as to ensure successful implementation of Rashtriya Madhyami Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) in Manipur.

Speaking as chief guest of the inaugural function of the newly constructed office building of RMSA at Babupara here today, Jayantakumar said that the Government of India has introduced the scheme of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) to ensure the benefit of higher secondary education to all the students who have attained elementary education irrespective of whether they come from poor or rich family.

Explaining that the main objective of RMSA is to provide the benefit of higher secondary to all the students compulsorily by 2017, the Minister said that after children in the age group of 6 to 14 have been ensure elementary education under the SSA, it is the objective of RMSA to ensure quality education at the secondary level to students between the age group of 14 to 18 .

The Minister noted that although SSA had been launched in other parts of the country in 2001, its implementation in Manipur had been delayed around by 4 to 5 months and numerous problems have been faced initially.

So, learning from that experiences, every possible measures should be made to ensure the success of RMSA implementation, he exhorted all concerned.

Along with passing of Right to Education Act and recognition of education as the fundamental rights of every child, the significance of schemes like SSA and RMSA is becoming all the more glaring, the Minister added.

Stating that now we have the money and the material to provide quality education to the students, the Minister called upon every section of the society to contribute their mite toward the cause of educating every child and development of their potential.

The Minister further observed that the proposal for common examination of class XII at all India level is a big challenge that should be accepted.

Chief Secretary DS Poonia, Education Commissioner PK Singh and other officials of the Education Dept were also present at the occasion.

CCRP calls for child rights sensitisation

Source-Imphal Free Press dated- 29th June 2010

IMPHAL, June 28: The Coalition on Children's Right to Protection (CCRP), Manipur, organized a one day consultative meeting on "The role of stake holders and sharing on the status report on children of Manipur" on June 26 at the conference hall of Hotel Imphal, Imphal.

The meeting deliberated on the defining role of civil societies and media for ensuring child rights in the state.

During the meeting, A. Sarat Sharma, former director (social welfare) observed that the child welfare board is working for the welfare of children of the state who are facing lots of problems owing to the myriad social issues. The board has taken the initiative to implement various welfare schemes for the children of the state, he said.

Senior core group member of CCRP, Ak Sanaton stressed on the role of media for ensuring child rights in the state. He said that the journalists of the state should take keen interests in investigative reporting on child rights violation and trafficking which have become major social issues of the state.

Delivering the key note address, state coordinator of CCRP, K. Pradipkumar stated that the children's right to protection covers sageguarding the children against all forms of abuse, in the criminal justice system, children involved in armed conflict, child labour, drug abuse, sexual abuse. The protection rights of the children are governed by the UN Convention on the Rights of Child (UNCRC) and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and its amendments of 2006, he noted.

He further said that prolonged armed conflict and violence have seriously affected the rights of the children in the state. Both government and non-government organizations should join hands to safeguard the rights of the children who are the future pillars of the society, he enjoined.

Child trafficking growing in northeast India

Source-http://www.upi.com/Features/Culture_Society/2010/05/11/Child-trafficking-growing-in-northeast-India/12735918721035/

Published: May 11, 2010 at 12:01 PM

After decades of political tumult, India’s northeastern region is shattered, disadvantaged. The region is a hotbed of violence but recent years have brought a tenuous peace.

Through the prism of human rights, though, things are far from OK. Nearly 20 percent of the region’s children between the ages of 11 and 17 are involved in prostitution, a 2008 report by Global Organization for Life Development, an organization that helps trafficking victims, said.

That figure is believed to have grown at a rate of about 5 percent per year, leading experts to identify the region as a major center of human trafficking. And that's not likely to change anytime soon, they said. Poverty, often due to the region’s violence, is the catalyst that usually forces children into the flesh trade, according to the organization.

Most of the young girls who are forced into prostitution are from Assam state, followed by Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and the border disputed state Arunachal Pradesh, the report said. Some are sold to brothels in Pune, Mumbai and other metropolises.

“While any violence, sexual or otherwise, exacted on children is condemnable, abject poverty is the root cause,” said Gopi Venkataraman of Give India, a non-profit focused on human rights.

Destitute parents are often made to sell their own children, she said.

“Educating parents and providing them means to earn a living can reduce this evil,” she said. “Vigilance by parents or community is important to prevent trafficking.”

Impulse Asia, another organization in northeast India, reports large-scale sexual exploitation of children in the region.

“Human trafficking is an abuse to human rights, with women and children being the predominant victims,” said Shoma Chatterji, an activist and author of "Gender and Conflict."

Traffickers have shown interest in girls from India's northeastern regions because of their distinctive features, experts say.The region shares major international borders, which facilitate trafficking to other Asian nations and beyond.

“Cross-border trafficking can be controlled with strict monitoring,” Chatterji said. “The corrupt officials of the Border Security Force serving as accomplices to the felony need to be punished and the government should form bodies specifically looking into this.”

The region has seen a steady rise in the AIDS count, too, AIDS awareness group AVERT, Catholic Relief Services and other organizations say.

Though prostitution isn't the only reason why AIDS has spread profusely in the region – use of drugs via injections has spurred much of it – human rights groups are working to raise awareness among sex workers. The majority of the prostitutes participate in unprotected sex, which increases the chance of HIV infection.

“Children are sold to parts of India (often brothels) as parents cannot feed them,” said Susenjit Guha, a nationally known columnist. “Government should be able to ensure education for all."

Plight of Children

Source: IMPHAL FREE PRESS
Posted: 2010-05-25

Any discussion on the plight of children at this juncture cannot but begin with a salutation and prayer for the children amongst those displaced by the violence at Mao Gate on May 6 and the atmosphere of insecurity still prevailing in and around the highway township. Although unfortunately media coverage of their plight has been very scarce in the state on account of the continued uncertain political condition, marked most prominently by the blockade on the two national highways, in this case the NH-39, there is no gainsaying what the suffering these innocent, young and impressionable minds must be put through at this moment. We urge upon the government of Manipur and all the parties involved in the faceoff to ease their stances, if not for anything else, then at least to restore the conditions that would pave the way for a return of normalcy at the Mao Gate area in particular and in the two states of Nagaland and Manipur at the soonest so the scars on the minds of the children are not further deepened.

This condition of course had been created by an unfortunate emergent situation, and hence is an exception to be tackled as an exception. There are however other more sustained and invisible threats to the welfare of children in general resulting not so much from any wilful policy intent, but from sheer negligence coming out of a presumption of familiarity. One of these came to light recently during a function at a destitute home in Imphal which was sending off three of its long time residents, one of them after he reached the age of 18 and the other two because they had appeared for the matriculation examination. As is the case in most such charitable homes all over the country, children residents are obliged to become dissociated from their umbrage upon completing school or else reaching the age of 18, whichever comes first.

In this extremely competitive age, to be left to fend for yourself, with no guarantee of security of a home to return to, at 18 and with no employable skill or degree, would be an intimidating prospect for anybody, but for a homeless orphan who grew up in public homes, this would be a nightmare. Indeed some years ago, before the cut-off age norm for ejection from these homes were introduced, there have even been cases of children deliberately failing their exams so as to delay their departures. In Manipur there are at least a dozen such homes both in Imphal and in the other districts, and every year on the average a dozen or two would be completing school and thus having by law to forsake the roof over their heads and the guarantee of at least two square meals a day. This, nobody will dispute is cruel. Nobody other than the most desperately poor would do this to their own children. If this is so, why should the society and more pertinently the government allow this to continue without even bothering to give them a thought.

There are two approaches that we can suggest to overcome this issue. One, the government as well as charitable organisations must invest in building buffer institutes where children who pass out from children homes can enlist and prepare further for at least another two years to prepare to meet the world on their own. Given the circumstance in Manipur today, these could be vocational training institutes where the children are taught job oriented skills. For the bright students, the government could introduce some fellowships for them to continue further studies and acquire the knowledge and skills for higher level professions. The other approach is not to wait for school to be over and to instead introduce vocation training say after Class 8, so that by the time they pass out from these homes, they would have been imparted employable skills of their choices for at least two years. This could also be by way of apprenticeships that the government can arrange with private enterprises offering blue collar jobs such as motor car workshops, tailoring shops, printing presses, electronic repair shops etc, according to the aptitudes and inclinations of the children. For obvious reason this latter option would also be the second, to be applied only if the first option of setting up buffer institutions is not feasible for whatever the reason.

CCRP raises concern for fate of children

The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, May 24: The Coalition on Children`s Right to Protection Manipur in a press meet held today at Press Club, Major Khul has today put up various demands to concern authorities regarding the welfare of the children in the state.

K Pradip State Coordinator, CCRP, while briefing the media persons in the press meet has stated that children of both hills and plain areas of the state are at the receiving ends of the present political impasse, which has largely traumatized and put undue pressure upon them, though the children are quite ignorant of the opposing political campaigns of the present situation in the state.

He also stated that pregnant women and ailing children are suffering most due to want of food, medicine and care and need immediate attention.

He further mentioned that the lack of fuel in the state due to the present imbroglio in the state has led to complete closure of the educational scenario in the state. Several thousands of students in the valley districts had already lost four months due to the recent indefinite class boycott call and now added with the present situation have become the worst affected group. He has also stated that the compelling situation of the state has led to various schools announcing their summer vacations immaturely.

He further stated that the CCRP demands withdrawal of the indefinite blockade that has been imposed upon the national highways by ANSAM since April 7. The demands also include withdrawal of the ban on Manipur bound vehicles in Nagaland by NSF and the recent retaliatory moves of counter blockades by Manipuri women folks, which he states are against humanity and stark violations of basic human rights, including right to life. He has further appealed to all concern not to use blockades as a means to achieve political ends of a group or a community by keeping human lives under hostage.

While drawing the attention of the union government and the state government to do the needful to ensure free and secure national highways, the CCRP has also demanded of the state government to arrange and provide fuel required by vehicles transporting school students, considering education as an essential service sector.

It has also demanded arrangement of special ration cards for PDS items for children homes and other institutions providing care and shelter to destitute and marginalized children.

While stating that counter blockade has not affected those responsible for the blockade but are rather provoking the innocent people, the CCRP has demanded equal distribution of whatever essential commodities available in the state, irrespective of hills and valley.

The press meet which was also attended by S Sarju Devi, convenor CCRP, AK Sanaton, senior core group of CCRP, H Rashi Devi, member of core group, CCRP, has also appealed to all to apply to the strategy of living in harmony with sharing and caring for each other among the hills and plain in the wake of the present turmoil in the state.

It has also demanded safe passage of essential items from outside the state and from Imphal to the hill districts and exemption of medicines, educational materials, services related to children by all concern parties from any kind of impositions, blockades, restrictions and bandhs.