Legal awareness programme held at Senapati
Source: The Sangai Express
Senapati, November 01 2019:
On the second day of the 'Legal Awareness programme on Child Rights and Protection' held at Lungnila Elizabeth School of Social Work, Senapati, the District Legal Services Authority conducted an awareness programme on 'Child Friendly Legal Services and Protection Schemes, 'Protection of Children from Sexual Offences' and 'Victim of Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Scheme' which was graced by Koshia Mao, Additional Public Persecutor, District Session Judge, Senapati and P Livingstone, Chairperson Child Welfare Committee, Senapati as resource persons.
The programme began with Judge Koshia sharing good news about the opening of the first 'Child Line Foundation' in Senapati which is working alongside MANEDA.
The Judge said that 'Child Line Foundation' has its main office in Delhi and its service could be availed in the district as well adding that anyone can call the toll free number 1098 to report any cases related to child abuse.
The Judge further mentioned that the District Legal Services Authority provides facilities to conduct awareness programmes, Lok Adalat, quiz and essays competitions on legal rights in the district and one can also approach a penal lawyer for free services if they are Schedule Tribe, a child or a women or if the family income is below Rs 3 lakh or if the person is affected by any natural disasters.
She continued that the district has two courts viz the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court which deals with crimes related to imprisonment below 7 years and the District Concession Court which deals with crimes related to imprisonment above 7 years and even death penalties with the motto "Justice should be delivered to the doorstep" .
She also maintained that the Lungnila Elizabeth School of Social Work has a Legal Aid Clinic in the school premise where any person who has a case can come forward to get help while adding that under the Child Friendly Legal Services and Child Protection Schemes, 2015, it is said that "It cannot be questioned that children are amongst the most vulnerable section in any society.
They represent almost one-third of the world's population, and unless they are provided with a proper opportunities, the opportunity of making them grow into responsible citizens of tomorrow will slip out of the hands of the present generation" and this observation was made by the Supreme Court in the year 2013 to show that it is our obligation to the young generation to open up all opportunities including legal services for every child to unfold its personality and rise to its full stature, mental, physical, moral and spiritual in a healthy and normal manner irrespective of color, race, sex, language, religion or origin and also in conditions of freedom and dignity which was declared on November 20, 1959 .
Citing two examples about trafficking and sexual exploitation, Chairman of CWC, Senapati highlighted about the Schemes granted to those victims for rehabilitation and sustenance.
He mentioned that for the past 15 years, sex trafficking has been on the rise while sharing his concern for lack of measures from the Govt to combat such crime and failure of the larger society to comprehend the sufferings of the victims.
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