WAD acknowledges
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, April 02 2013: Women Action for Development (WAD) has appreciated and acknowledged Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and Social Welfare Minister Kumari AK Mirabai for their gracious support in taking responsibility to protect and promote the children rights by visiting the observation home at Takyel, Imphal to monitor the situation and condition of 23 rescued children who were repatriated from Jaipur, Rajasthan.

WAD also extends gratitude to concerned department and CWC members for the commitment and struggle in bringing back the children to Manipur.

"It is our deep concerns to respond positively under the leadership of the chief minister and the Social Welfare Minister.

WAD and its counterpart NGOs, CBOs and POs of Manipur warmly welcome the timely support of our chief minister to visit the place personally and looked into the issue of child trafficking with serious concerns" .

"We look forward for the continuation of support to the cause of women and children," WAD added.

The home-coming of the 23 rescued children after the initiatives taken up by the concerned department will acquire a ray of hope to live a healthy and scot-free life to the victims.

Poverty stricken, uneducated and the armed conflicts victimized parents are the targets of children trafficking as they can be easily lured by the traffickers with false promises and opportunities, WAD stated.

It then said the government must take various precautionary measures, reaching all the territorial limits to prevent it.

The chief minister's assurance to establish a free residential school in each districts of Manipur under SSA especially for under-privileged and victimized children is highly recommended as it will also upkeep the process of rehabilitation and reintegration though, WAD said.

Providing free medical assistance and balanced nutrition with free transportation to the rescued victims as a part of rehabilitation protocol is also highly greeted by the WAD.

Apart from this, there are many prior areas that need to be ' developed by the state government and implemented so as to check the rising crimes against children and for the welfare of the victimized children specially child, it added.

Meanwhile WAD appeals the state government to check the condition of the family of those trafficked child and their relationship with the children prior to reintegration with the family. It also appeals the government to deliver proper counseling and rehabilitation to the repatriated children followed by the community reintegration. It further appeals to give befitting punishment to the traf-fickers according to the law as early as possible and to crack down the trafficking nexus. WAD also appeals the state government to build up a strong co-ordination and collaboration with the state govern- ment and the concerned departments (Social welfare department, law enforcing department, health department, la- bour department, education department) in order to protect and promote the child rights.

It finally appeals the government to carry out urgent survey in all the nine districts to check the number of children that are being trafficked from the state and to set up special mechanism to check such heinous crimes.

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