Children participants with officials during the event organized by Assisi Centre for Integrated Development, Dimapur on October 10. (Photo Courtesy: ACID Dimapur)
Dimapur, October 10 (MExN): To commemorate World Mental Health Day, Assisi Centre for Integrated Development (ACID), Dimapur organised a programme on ‘child rights and protection, legal provision to protect the rights of the children’ along with the inputs on mental wellbeing on October 10.
A total of 38 children attended the programme which was moderated by Sr Geeta, Coordinator, NDWM-CRM, stated a press release issued by ACID Dimapur.
Sr Pramila Lobo UFS, Director ACID cum NDWM Nagaland Region speaking on violation of rights of the children lamented that Dimapur being a border area has become the “center, source and destiny for children who are trafficked, abused and exploited.” She reported that missing cases are on rise, of which many go unnoticed and unreported.
To protect children, Sr Pramila stated that UNCRC has classified rights into four groups supported by the Constitutional Rights: Right to Survival, Right to Development, Right to Protection and Right of Participation.
She lamented that today during this time of crisis we need to ask how many people’s rights are protected, “We hear of violence, abuse and missing case on a daily basis “who will protect the rights of the children? The ultimate duty is of the parents, elders and other family members but if they violate these rights, then who will protect?”
Bendangmoa, a resource person explained on the “safe touch and unsafe touch” which every child should be aware of. “People who violate the rights of the children are not found outside but many times they are within the family or friends circle. Whenever child expresses such abuses, elders either keep quiet or bypass, due to which child suffers alone and become disoriented person. This affects the mental wellbeing of the child,” he highlighted.
Alomi Sumi from CHILDLINE Dimapur spoke on the importance mental health. The programme concluded with distribution rice and soap to the children by CHILDLINE Dimapur.
