Govt assures proper implementation of POCSO Act in Nagaland

July 6, 2024 13 Views No Comment

Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 6

Nagaland Chief Secretary Dr. J. Alam today assured that the State Government is fully committed to work towards ensuring vibrant future of children and to see that child abuse cases are properly checked and culprit are brought to book.

“It is the responsibility of all of us that we contribute our part in creating awareness and sensitization and see that the provisions of the POCSO Act are implemented in spirit,” he said while addressing the opening session of one day state level symposium on ‘Model Guidelines with respects to support persons Under Section 39 of POCSO Act, 2012’ at Hotel Japfu, Kohima.

Dr. Alam assured that the state government is fully committed to provide support to the Nagaland State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NSPCR) and all the stakeholders to ensure that POCSO Act is properly implemented in Nagaland.
“Children are our future and protection of their right is very important,” he said. He said that children are in vulnerable position and not able to defend their own rights, for which model guidelines with respect to support persons under section 39 of POCSO Act has been framed.

“We all know children in their tender age are prone to sexual abuse, harassment and violence. Victims of such acts are most of the time unable to articulate their trauma out of fear and stigma. So apart from the penal provisions, the Act also provides for action by various authorities under the supervision of the NSCPCR,” he said.

It may be mentioned that the Supreme Court had directed the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to formulate these model guidelines. The Court was of the opinion that the need of support person should not to be left to the discretion of the parents but to render assistance and availability to the child victims throughout the process of investigation and legal proceedings and also to provide an emotional and psychological support to the child victims and to further ensure their well being and protection.

The objective is to foster response mechanism involving coordination amongst the professional so as to result the evolution of multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary approach that will go a long way in achieving the POCSO Act 2012.

POCSO cases are also prevalent in the State of Nagaland. A Special Court for POCSO cases has been initiated in every district court playing a pivotal role in disposing the cases at the earliest.

NSCPCR chairman Alun Hangsing said that the Commission since its inception 2013 has been trying its best to create awareness from the grass root level.

“We are all stake holders. Not only the department or the commission, every parents, brother and sister is a stakeholder, he said.

He also stressed on the importance of a ‘support person’ who plays a vital role for child rights.

Later, in the technical session, Secretary, Judicial Justice & Law, Y. Longkumer (NJS) spoke on the topic of ‘Victim Compensation and Roles of a support person’, Consultant – Legal Division, NCPCR, Anuj Saluja highlighted on the ‘Guidelines for support persons u/s 39 POCSO’.