Manipur Alliance for Child Rights: November 2014

Monday, November 17, 2014

Ugly truth of crimes against children laid bare

Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 17 2014: There are a total of 362 children from 38 villages in Chandel, Ukhrul, Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts staying out of their respective villages.

The total number of children include 187 girls.

While 353 of them are out of their villages for studies, nine of them are out for earning.

Seventy nine of them are outside the State and 283 are within the State, according to a 2014 consolidated child tracking report of the Manipur Alliance for Child Rights.

The survey covered nine villages in Bishnupur district, two villages in Ukhrul district, 16 villages of Chandel district and 11 villages of Churachandpur district.

195 of them are presently staying with their parents, 65 of them are in boarding, 37 of them in house rent, 54 children are staying with their guardians, 9 of them are in children homes while the present staying condition of 2 of the children are not mentioned.

In the nine villages covered in Bishnupur district, the survey finds that only two children, a boy and a girl are outside their village while three boys are out of their village in respect of Ukhrul district.

In the 16 villages covered in the survey in Chandel district, 220 children including 106 girls, are out of their village for study.

64 of them are staying outside the State while the rest are within the State.

In the 11 villages of Churachandpur, 131 children including 77 girls are found out of their village.

Six of them are outside the State while 125 are within the State.

During a press meet today at Manipur Press Club, the MACR also released its consolidated statistics of various crimes against children in the State during the period beginning from September 2012 to November 11, 2014 .

According to the MACR statistics, sexual assault has been committed on 42 children while there have been 86 cases of child trafficking.

69 trafficked victims have been rescued and 11 are still untraceable.

Four reported child soldiers were returned/released and there are two children suspected to be recruited as child soldiers.

The statistics also indicated that there were 5 blast injured victims, two cases of attempt to kidnap/murder, five cases of molestation, 31 cases of physical assault, one case of live infant abandonment, one case of defamation and one case of gun attack.

The figure also showed that there are four children murdered in various cases, five murders after sexual assault, one death in communal clash, six lifeless newly born infant recovered, ten suicide and one bomb blast victim.

Ironically, there is no confirmed report of rescued survivors rehabilitation.

Although the culprits involved in such crimes were arrested, most of them were released on bail.

No charge-sheet has been filed in time and charge-sheets are not filed in many of the cases.

During the period, two culprits �a police commando driver and an actor, involved in the reported rape of a student have been convicted.

There is also no confirmed report on culprits absconding.

The total number of children affected by different child rights violation reported so far is 196 excluding five children murdered after sexual assault, according to the MACR statistics.

Speaking at the press meet, convener of MACR, Keisham Pradipkumar highlighting the urgency of child tracking portal urged the authority concerned to launch the same without any further delay in order to ensure protection of children.

Deploring the meagre budgetary allocation for child welfare programme in the State, MACR consultant Dr B Deven said no child welfare programme can be implemented efficiently due to meagre budget.

He urged all concerned to increase the budget in the child welfare sector so that their rights are protected

Integrated Child Development Schemes fail in Manipur due to fund crunch: Keisham Pradip Kumar

Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, November 17 2014: Even if the state is witnessing alarming rise in crime cases against children, the government is yet to provide rehabilitation centres and other compensations for the child victims.

This was stated by Keisham Pradip Kumar, convener of Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) while interacting with media persons at Manipur Press Club, Imphal today.

In his address to media persons, Pradip Kumar said that the schemes designed by the Central government for the welfare of the children have not been implemented in Manipur due to inadequate funds.

As such, the Alliance has demanded a separate budget for the gender and children.

He also said that even in the advent of high technology like Online Track Child System to prevent child trafficking, the Manipur government has not been able to launch such beneficial measures in the state which is rather a disappointment.

Online Track Child System has been introduced in many states of India by the National Information Centre (NIC), but this system is not operational yet in Manipur, lamented Pradip Kumar.

Further, he said that due to lack of funds, many Integrated Child Development Schemes (ICDS) failed to succeed in Manipur.

According to the MACR report, during year 2012-2014, as much as 42 children were sexually assaulted and 86 children were victims of child trafficking.

Also according to survey conducted by MACR in April-May, 2014 in 438 villages of four districts of Manipur, 362 children were reportedly found staying away from their villages in order to get education or in work related matters.

The survey was conducted in Chandel, Ukhrul, Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts, added Pradip Kumar.

MACR survey finds 362 children in four districts staying away from home

http://ifp.co.in/page/items/24014/macr-survey-finds-362-children-in-four-districts-staying-away-from-home

IMPHAL, November 17: A recent survey conducted by the Manipur Alliance for Child Rights in 38 villages across the four districts of Chandel, Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Ukhrul, found that 362 children under the age of 16 years staying outside their native villages either studying or working.

This was observed by the MACR convenor Keisham Pradipkumar during a press conference held at the Manipur Press Club today.

He said the survey was conducted to check child trafficking which has been on a rise in the State in recent times.

He urged the government and its concerned department for the formal launch its online portal ‘Track Child’ to identify and track all missing child. Other States have already launched this portal, he said.

He continued the issue of child trafficking in the State has reach an alarming rate and needs serious consideration.

He said out of the 362 children found staying outside their villages, 187 were girls and 353 of them were sent away from home for studies, whereas nine of them to earn.

79 of them have been sent outside the State, he continued.

Chandel recorded the highest number of children staying outside their respective villages during the survey, he said.

Although the Right to Education Act is properly implemented in the State, many students are found staying outside their villages for earning purposes which is a major issue, he observed.

He further observed citing the Comptroller and Auditor General findings that the funds sanction for the law enforcing agency under the Home department is very huge as compared to that sanctioned for the departments of Social Welfare, Education and Family Welfare.

At the same time, the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights is lying totally defunct and is there only for the namesake, which is an injustice of the government, he added.

THE CHILD RIGHTS MANIFESTO

Today, unseen, ignored, almost half of all Indian children under
the age of five are underweight, millions die each year of easily preventable
diseases and 8 million children do not go to school. In the 21st century, in
one of the world's fastest growing economies, this is unacceptable.

CRY - Child Rights and You works to ensure lasting change in the
lives of underprivileged children and you can help - by making your vote
count. Get our leaders to do more for children. Create a vote bank big enough
for them to hear that we, the people. demand child rights - the rights to
education, safety, healthcare, and participation.

Pledge your support and wear the yellow ChildMark proudly on
your finger.

THE CHILD RIGHTS
MANIFESTO
16th General
Elections 2014
CRY - Child Rights and You calls on all political parties to
become campaigner of rights of all children in India.

India, with about 430 million children, has the world’s largest
child population with every sixth child in the world today referring to India
as ‘home’. Although children constitute over a third of India’s population,
they are accorded a low priority in national policy and governance decisions.
CRY urges political parties and governments in power to take heed and ‘Put children first’ and include the following commitment
suggestions that can impact over a third of this nation’s population, when
designing their own election agenda.
• Harmonize the age
definition for all child-related legislations in line with National Policy for
Children 2013 where child is any person below the age of eighteen years.
• Ensure Right to
Education is fully exercised as fundamental right and Amend and expand the
scope of Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 such that: All Children between 6-14 years
get enrolled, regularly attend Elementary
school and avail quality education. Also, all children from 0-6 years and 14-18 years should come under the purview of the Act.
• Strengthen
implementation of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) such that all six services viz
Supplementary nutrition, Health Check-ups, Immunization, Nutrition & Health
Education, Pre-school non-formal education and referral services are
effectively functioning. Also ensure that there is an adequate investment
carried out in decentralized planning, universal coverage and trained
personnel.
• Reduce child mortality
and morbidity and ensure that no child remains malnourished through carrying out sustained efforts
towards complete immunization, regular health check-ups and growth monitoring,
proper nutritional support and health counselling of all children under 18
years.

• Declare access to
quality primary healthcare a Fundamental Right in the Constitution of India and strengthen Primary Health Care
systems and child health amongst the urban poor.
• Ensure Food security at
household level for all marginalized groups of people with proper implementation of the National
Food Security Act, 2013 and consider amendments (i) increasing the
protein/fat intake for pregnant mothers and children to 20-25 gms (according to
Supreme court order) instead of current provision of 18-20 gms (ii) including services such as immunization, health check-ups etc
which have been part of the ICDS as part of the Act (iii) making provision of supplementary
nutrition for children in the14-18 age group.
• Amend the Child Labour
(Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 2012: to abolish all forms of child labour by removing the distinction
between hazardous and non-hazardous categories of work for all children up to
18 years of age.
• Invest adequately in
ensuring protection for children by: (i) implementing policies and programme that protect children from
abuse, violence and exploitation; (ii) investing in
appropriate referral services for the recovery, rehabilitation and
reintegration of victims of abuse, violence and exploitation; investing in
creating a cadre of trained professional (iii) creating robust
monitoring of implementation of child protection mechanisms, schemes and
policies (iv) creating a proper database for child
trafficking, street children, missing children and ensuring a fully functional
newly developed child tracking system – ‘Track child’.
• Ensure Gender Parity,
Social Equity, and the rights of Children with disabilities with providing equal opportunities for all
social groups – SC, ST, Minority group and urban deprived groups. Become more responsive
to needs of girl children and children with disabilities.
• Allocate sufficient
Budget for Children (BfC) allocations by
increasing the allocation from 4.64% to at least 10% of total Union Budget. Also introduce a child budget component in the budget of all
allied Ministries and ensure effective National, State and District-level
management and utilization of outlays/ budgets.

The best interest of the child needs to be put at the centre of
all policy, legislation and practice affecting their young lives. India’s one
third population deserves demonstration of commitment as a nation. It calls for
action to express zero tolerance towards violation of children’s rights so that
every child attains happy, healthy and creative childhood.

MACR- Manipur Alliance for Child Rights- Charter of demand in Assembly elcetion, 2012

1. A strong political commitment to find out a political solution in place of repressive militarisation policy, to end the
long dawn armed conflict, that has been bringing out xtraordinary denial of the right to survival, development, and
protection of all the children in Manipur, including the children living with HIV/AIDS, by repealing the AFSPA which gives impunity extra judicial powers to the army.

2. A holistic state policy for ensuring safe and secured environment, where each and every individual could enjoy the equal opportunity for economic, social and cultural development.

3. A mass employment policy for youths, providing employment opportunity within the state, not merely in state security forces but in welfare and other allied sectors.

4. Setting up of State Commission for Protection of Child Rights with the full strength of the members, free from any political interference, where independence of the commission members while providing justice to the aggrieved children is upheld.

5. A comprehensive State Children’s Policy, under which children are provided with all the entitled rights of survival,
development, protection and participation without any discrimination.

6. A commitment to announce the education institutions as completely free zone, free from any political interference, corruption, military occupation, economic hindrance, while
ensuring meaningful free and compulsory education to children.

7. A commitment for providing adequate budget for schools’ infrastructural development, with special provisions for accessing to barrier free for children with disability, creating an enabling environment, so- that teachers could attend the schools without any hindrance, adequate support and monitoring mechanism for complete implementation of Mid Day Meal scheme in Government Schools and Aided Private Schools in the state.

8. A commitment for adequate budget support for nfrastructural improvement of health institutions at Panchayat, Block and District level, accessible provisions
for institutional delivery in the PHCs with proper pre and ante natal care facilities.

9. A commitment to make all ICDS centres, accessible and functional, ensuring additional nutritional support to the Children Living with HIV/AIDS by linking with the existing
ICDS centres.

10. Commitment for timely disbursement of fund to the
Government sponsored children homes, proper implementation of Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS). Opening of Girls Shelter homes and Girls Children Homes
in the state on priority basis.

11. To set up Integrated Trauma Counselling cum Life skill Centres in all districts, for victims of child trafficking, rape,
conflict inflicted children, and other Child in Need of Care and
Protection and Juvenile in Conflict with
Law.

12. A commitment to ensure regular supply of safe
drinking water and uninterrupted power supply to every village and household, by acknowledging that without regular water and electricity supply, realisation of basic rights including right to life, right to education, right to health and development are not possible.

CRY- CHILD RIGHTS and YOU appeals to the people of Manipur on the event of Assembly election

1. Political and social stability in the state where people can be engaged in peaceful social and cultural life. Each and every individual, especially children could feel secure and protected. There must be ample opportunity for children and the youth to enjoy a happy and healthy life.
2. Children should be completely immunised at the community level. Government health services must reach every community so that each and every child can access basic Government health services.
3. Children below 6 years must be enrolled in ICDS centres and must get a midday meal along with additional food nutrient support. ICDS centres must be opened everyday for the children.
4. HIV positive children must get additional nutritional support, regular health check ups and ART treatment. Families of HIV positive children must get additional economic support from the state.
5. All children must get free and compulsory education at the community level. Government schools must be easily accessible and should have properly trained and qualified teachers.
6. Children must not be trafficked; it is the responsibility of the state to be alert on the issue of child trafficking, and ensure the protection of children at the community level.
7. All efforts must be made to rescue and rehabilitate trafficked children into society and through Government sponsored homes/institutions.
8. Children who are engaged as child labourers or as domestic workers must be rescued by the state and rehabilitated through proper legal actions by the state authority.

CRY- Child Rights & You Charter of demand on the occassion of 10th ManipurAssemble election

1. All political parties should commit to ensuring a safe and secured social environment, where each and every individual, especially children can enjoy a peaceful and healthy life; all individuals must get equal opportunity for economic, social and cultural development.
2. All political parties should commit to setting up a State Commission for Child Rights to protect the rights of children in the state. The Commission should be kept free from any political interference.
3. All political parties should commit to drawing up a clear-cut policy for children at the state level, where children will be provided with the rights to survival, development, protection and participation.
4. All political parties should commit to announce all educational institutions as zones free from political unrest, and ensure free and compulsory education to all the children.
5. All political parties should commit to allocate adequate budgetary provisions for building basic infrastructure for schools, with special provisions for disabled children.
6. All political parties should commit to make provisions for adequate budget support to develop infrastructure of health institutions at Panchayat, Block and District level. They must ensure that all children in the state can avail of free Government health services.
7. Long-term conflict has resulted in the unprecedented denial of the right to health, survival and development for all children in Manipur, including HIV positive children. The government should push for a permanent end to the armed conflict as it is one of the major reasons behind the poor access to healthcare.