MCPCR alert on child trafficking fear
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: January 17, 2025 -
THOUGH formulation and implementation of policy for constitutional safeguard of children from various vices is unlikely to be fool-proof as unscrupulous elements are certain to pull out all the stops, absence of such a formal protective mechanism underscores government apathy and belittling interest of the future pillars of the society.
At every discourse associated with issues/problems besieging the children, subject experts and rights activists dwell extensively on incidents of child trafficking and physical or sexual abuse with the stated objective to draw the attention and impress upon the government authorities on the urgent need for enacting legislations to prevent cruelties against children as well as women.
Even if the existing laws of the land prescribe severest form of punishment to whoever is found guilty of abusing rights of women and children, the latter remains most vulnerable section of the society.
Vulnerability of the children of falling into the hands of criminals is precisely the reason why discourses and sensitisation programmes are conducted by different organisations at regular intervals.
As such there is substance in the remark of Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) chairperson Keisam Pradipkumar that Manipur is in dire need for a state-specific child policy to not only help check the malaise of child trafficking and child labour, but also to ensure that the government's welfare schemes, including free and compulsory education, benefit all the children.
Speaking at a sensitisation-cum-consultation workshop organised jointly by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and MCPCR on the topic "Combating Child Trafficking in Manipur" on Wednesday, Pradipkumar cautioned that Manipur currently tops the chart in terms of children suffering from mental health issues owing to the conflict.
In acknowledgement of the distressful condition of children rendered parentless or being nurtured for in relief camps by single parent aftermath of the violence, rights organisations and NCOs advocating rights of the children have been providing counselling service and recommending to the government to facilitate proper accommodation of the children in distress.
It is also disheartening to learn that the on-going humanitarian crisis has left the children exposed to child traffickers with as many as 60 kids rescued by teams of the Social Welfare Department and the MCPCR after these children were taken outside the state under the pretext of free education amid the conflict.
Regardless of the MCPCR chairman advising parents and guardians to contact the Social welfare Department before sending off their children to prevent any scam or trafficking incidents, parents affected by the violence are unlikely to pay heed to such an invaluable advisory as their main concern is ensuring better education of their wards.
Thus, it is hoped that Pradipkumar's appeal to the government to announce a Manipur State Child Policy to prevent, strengthen government educational institutions including deploying specially trained teachers and providing free education up to the higher level to help the children, specifically students who have been affected both mentally and academically by the conflict merit compassionate remedial measures by the government authorities.
No doubt, timely action by the NCOs and anti-human trafficking agencies might help in rescuing children from traffickers to an extent, but one shouldn't undermine the fact that unscrupulous elements wouldn't hesitate to indulge in inhumane act as long as the monetary return is fat.
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