Meet deliberates on issues of Child rights in Manipur

Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 31 2012: Center for Social Development (CSD), Palace Compound organized a one-day state level seminar on 'Child Right's Issue in Manipur', at the conference hall of Hotel Nirmala here today.

Speaking as a resource person, Prof W Nabakumar, Dean of School of Human and Environmental Sciences, Manipur University, said that violation of child right and abusing children is inhuman and it should not be forgiven.

He observed that present education system is just a modification of the colonial educational model; and we are still implementing the 'captive style' of education system in India.

Moreover, there is no creative and innovative approach in our educational model- especially for lower classes.

In its aim to keep the future generation (Children) healthy, Government of India started the Mid-day meal scheme.

Prof W Nabakumar speaking at the seminar as Arun and Dhanabir look on

However, only 20% of the fund sanctioned for the said purpose reached the targeted children and the remaining were misused by schools and other authorities concerned.

It is a clear example of violating child right in the name of education in the country, and most of the people are staying silent, the Professor maintained.

Stating that we can only think of a developed nation only when children in the country are fully educated in a proper manner, Prof Nabakumar said that especially in the formal education system there is no reflection of child right in the textbooks.

All the syllabus and textbooks should be prepared in a palatable and easy way to perceive by the children.

Pointing out that 'learning, knowing, thinking and reasoning" are the main objectives of education, the Professor said that in Manipur the education system is just a contradiction to the objectives of education and there is no thinking and reasoning perspectives in education.

He also observed that if the teacher teaches moral science lessons only for getting high score in the examination, then the purpose of having such a curriculum will be meaningless.

Social Activist Dhanabir Laishram, who also participated in the seminar one of the resource persons, highlighted the impact of armed conflict and Armed Forces Special Power Act on children.

In the country, there are 21 armed conflict states and due to imposition of AFSPA in the disturbed areas, the Juvenile Justice Act-2000 and its institutions are not operational, he contended.

With regard to recruitment of children by underground groups in the state, Dhanabir noted that a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is needed to prevent such activities.

Speaking as a subject expert in the seminar, Irengbam Arun, Editor of Imphal Free Press, said that media should be cautious at the time of reporting any violent incident so as not to have a negative impact on children.

General Secretary of Women Action for Development (WAD), who spoke on the 'Role of Civil Society Organisations to Ensure Child Rights in Manipur' said that some of the CSOs are working actively to protect the Child Right.

In the current year itself, they have enabled to rescue around 72 children from being trafficked to other states.

Will the SCPCR be a still born child?

By Paojel Chaoba

Manipur. IMPHAL, August 27: The good news is that the State Commission for the Protection of the Rights of the Child is likely to be formed shortly in the State. The bad news is that it might be a still born baby, judging by the manner in which the entire matter is being handled.

To start with, the State Government has reluctantly agreed to form the commission thanks to a directive from the Gauhati High Court and a continuous stream of queries in this regard from the Union Home Ministry.

The abhorrence which Messrs O Ibobi and Co at Heinoumakhong have for any independent State Commission, which is empowered to pull up erring government officials for any violation of the rights of the citizens, is well known.

It may be mentioned here that the Human Rights Commission which was described as the poor man’s court when it was initially formed was downgraded by inducting incompetent members during its second avatar and subsequently kept in limbo with the Government refusing to form the commission for the third term. Likewise the post of the Chairperson of the Right to Information Commission is still lying vacant for nearly a year now.To start with the news that has trickled out so far is that while as envisaged in the Central Act the Social Welfare Minister Meerabai Devi will be the chairman of the selection committee of the Chairperson and the six members of the Commission.

The good news is that the State Commission for the Protection of the Rights of the Child is likely to be formed shortly in the State. The bad news is that it might be a still born baby, judging by the manner in which the entire matter is being handled. Photo : from our archives : Happiness of Children by Moirangthem Ranjit

However what has raised eyebrows is the composition and of other two members of this committee. The grapevine has it that both the Secretary Social Welfare Department and the Director of the Social Welfare will comprise of the other two.

This raised serious questions as to how a commission who will be charged with looking after the activities of the Social Welfare Department and pull up erring officials have its members selected by the same officials who are supposed to be answerable to them.

Ideally it should comprise of besides the Minister herself a representative of the Governor of the State and that of the Chief Justice of the High Court. By all accounts it appears that the formation of this Commission is being looked as an internal family matter of the Social Welfare Department.

The second point to be noted is the pay and allowances of the Chairman and the Members.

It appears that the Social Welfare Department has proposed to the Government to pay Rs.10,000 per month to the chairperson and Rs.8,000 to the members keeping in mind that the chairperson and members of the State Women’s Commission enjoys that amount and further since it is  also handled by the Social Welfare Department as the nodal department, the two have to be kept on par. Now this raises serious questions about the effectiveness of the chairperson and the members to be functioning with a salary less than that of their drivers and peons thanks to the implementation of the 6th Pay Commission recommendations in the State.

To function effectively and to give time whole heartedly  ideally, the pay and allowances of the  Chairperson should be equal to that of the Chief Secretary of the State and the members should be paid equivalent to that of a secretary to the State Government.

The Commission would be required to look into the implementation of the Right to Education Act.

The Rules of the Commission framed by the State Government also finds no mention about the relation which it will be having with the Child Welfare Committees and the Juvenile Justice Boards. Ideally these two bodies formed for the welfare of the child should also come under the ambit of the Commission or else there is the danger of them working in cross purpose. A clear relationship should be established and adhered to and a meaningful protocol devised.

It is taken for granted that the appointments of the chairperson and members of the Commission will be done politically but favoritism should take second place and persons with proven track record and understanding of the rights of the child and human rights and having a strong sense of democracy, secularism, equality and justice should be selected to make the Commission have a meaningful existence.

Then the Government should ensure that this Commission have horizontal and vertical levels of inter and intra departmental support and cooperation from the Police, Education and Labor Departments and special note should be taken that it is going to exist in a conflict zone where many child soldiers caught by the police are recorded as adults so that they can be confined in jails. This would also require a separate special research wing to look and study the dynamics of children caught in a conflict zone.

Earlier experiences have proven that the Government forms Commissions not because it cares for the welfare for the people but just for tokenism. The Human Rights Commission when it was first formed was denied any support staff but the resilience of the members who were selected then carried it through to make a mark. The same should not be expected from the Child Rights Commission and a full time Chairman with a just Rs.10,000 as his monthly salary would also have to become a part time contractor to  meet his ends. That would be a tragedy indeed. Will the Government kindly look into the questions raised before it advertises for the posts please, as it concerns the rights of the child our future generation.

Ukrul children reach home

http://kanglaonline.com/2012/08/ukrul-children-reach-home/

August 25, 2012 by Imphal Free Press | 0 comments

From John K Kaping
UKHRUL, August 25: Altogether 23 children of Ukhrul district have been brought back home safely from Kerela today by the Manipur state government.

The children mostly between the ages of 6 – 13 years included with 10 girls and 23 boys who stayed at Kerala for almost two years with the assurances that they will be provided education were brought back to their home town after missing their formal education for some years.

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Ukhrul has been the key initiator in rescuing the children so far by establishing the rights of the children in adhering to the directive of the Supreme Court that directs the states of Assam and Manipur to ensure that “The State of Manipur and Assam are directed to ensure that no child below the age of 12 years or those at primary school level are sent outside to pursue education to other states until further orders”.

The children were warmly welcomed home and received by the Ukhrul Deputy Commissioner, R Sudhan, Ukhrul SP, K Kabib in the presence of media persons, members of CWC led by its president, Mohanti, parents and gaurdians of the children, Ukhrul Social Welfare Department, Education Department at a simple restoration function held at the Ukhrul DC`s Office Chamber where after the “children home-coming ceremony” the children were safely handed over to the respective cares with an adequate assurances of proper care of living and education to the children from the Government side.

The DC Ukhrul assured free education in the form of residential bridge-course under SSA to be commenced by September 10 next.

Free accomodations, free text books and uniforms as like boarding facilities are assured to be arranged from the Zonal Education along with the free supply of the PDS rice of BPL, AAY and the assurances of awarding Dependent Children Scholarship and widows pensions to children’s without father from the Social welfare Department.

Some of the children while interacting to this Ukhrul Correspondent of the IFP said that they were taken down to Chennai with the assurances of giving proper education by some people with the consent of their family and relatives initiatives.

Asked how about their studies at Chennai, they said that they were not given any formal education (were not sent to school) but they were taught at the centre as tuitions.

They also said that they were allowed to go to the morning Gospel service and gardening in the evening.

When asked how was their living in terms of fooding and lodging, they replied that it was well and comfortable facilities supplied and nice care treatment.

23 children repatriated process from Kerela to Manipur

CWC meeting at Kerela

CWC meeting at Kerela

Meeting with children home management

working table of CWC at Kerela

Meeting with Minister and MLA in Function

CRY and meeting with Special Secretary- Social Welfare, manipir

K pradip Kumar in his speech

Father, Monister, MLA and Children

Mother, Children and Minister

CRY team receiving children in Kolkata Airport

anti trafficking unit in Kolkata Airport for escort

meeting with Minister and Director in Manipur Bhawan

Minister announcing for support to CRY- Girl Child Campaign

JJ Act Workshop at Chourchandpur District with Police department

23 trafficked kids repatriated

http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/headlines/item/3913-23-trafficked-kids-repatriated

Rescued children being handed over to their parentsHueiyen Photo

NNN/Imphal, August 24: Altogether 23 children repatriated from Kerala were handed over to their parents on Friday by Social Welfare Minister Ak Mirabai. These children were trafficked to Kerala after giving false promises to their parents by five alleged child traffickers.

The children who are in age group of 10 to 13 years had been staying in Precious Home at Kochiyam in Kerala, which is not registered under Juvenile Justice Act, for the last two years after the alleged five child traffickers, all from Ukhrul district of Manipur, took them away on the pretext of giving them free education.

All the 23 minors, 13 boys and 10 girls, were handed over to their parents by Social Welfare Minister AK Mirabai during a simple function at Takyel Observation Hall, Takyel on Friday. They were brought back here on August 15.Twenty-two of them are from Ukhrul district and the other one is from Imphal East district.

One May 12, 2011, Kerala police rescued the 10 girls from Thammanam, Ennakullam and the 13 boys from Precious Home. Thereafter, they were brought back to Pratiksha Home and Don Bosco Sneha Bhawan by Children Welfare Committee, Kerala and they put up there for about 11 months.

Later, a joint team comprising Children Welfare Committee (CWC), Imphal East member secretary K Pradeepkumar; CWC, Bishnupur chairperson L Pishak and some representatives of the state Social Welfare Department visited Kerala on August 11 and brought back all the 23 children on August 18.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony of repatriated children, AK Mirabai assured that they would be provided proper education. At the function, G Satyabati, Director, Social Welfare, A Preshaw Shimrey, MLA, Chingai constituency and members of CWC were also present.

Repatriated children handed over to parents

http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/sangai-express-news.php?newsid=18603

IMPHAL, Aug 24: Altogether 23 children repatriated from Kerala have been handed over to their parents today by Manipur Social Welfare Minister AK Mirabai after being trafficked to that State about two years ago under the pretext of false promises to the parents by five alleged child traffickers.

The children aged between 10 and 13 had been staying at Precious Home at Kochiyam in the State of Kerala, which is not registered with Juvenile Justice Act, since the last two years after five alleged child traffickers, all from Ukhrul district, took them away from their parents on the pretext of giving them free education at the children home.

All the 23 minors—13 boys and 10 girls—were handed over to their parents by Social Welfare Minister AK Mirabai during a simple function held at Takyel Observation Hall, Takyel. They were brought back here on August 15.Twenty-two of them are from Ukhrul district alone and the other one is from Imphal East district.

Five individuals from Ukhrul district went to Kerala along with the children after they made a false promise to the parents to give them education in 2012 and left them at the Precious Home. But the children never received education at the children home during their stay there for two years.

One May 12, 2011, Kerala police rescued the 10 girls from Thammanam, Ernakullam and the 13 boys from Precious Home. Thereafter, they were brought back to Pratiksha Home and Don Bosco Sneha Bhawan by Children Welfare Committee, Kerala and they put up there for about 11 months.

Later, a joint team comprising of Children Welfare Committee (CWC), Imphal East member secretary K Pradeepkumar, CWC, Bishnupur chairperson L Pishak and some representatives of the state Social Welfare Department visited Kerala on August 11 and brought back all the 23 children on August 18.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony of the 23 repatriated children from the state of Kerala, AK Mirabai assured they would be provided proper education. She also said the rescued children would also be given all the benefits available under all the Social Welfare sponsored schemes.The Minister emphasised the important role and sincere efforts of the parents in making them good individuals.

She advised all parents not to fall prey to frauds or hand over their children to such cheats. She pointed out that there is a Supreme Court ruling which prohibits taking children belowe 14 years of age beyond State boundaries.

Acknowledging the responsibility shared by Ukhrul DPO Ringshangphy and Social Welfare SNP Ningthingla in bringing back the children, the Social Welfare declared that the duo would be reinstated to their former posts.

Chingai AC MLA Preshow Shimray said that he was ashamed on learning that 22 children from his constituency were taken to Kerala after deceiving their parents.

Nevertheless, he assured that he would personally look into the requirements of the children regarding their education.

At the function, G Satyabati, Director, Social Welfare, A Presho Shimrey, MLA, Chingai constituency and members of CWC were also present.