Impeding adoption violation of child rights: SW director
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 02 2023: If the nearest or closest relatives of children who have become Children in Needbf Care and Protection (CNCP) cannot adopt them, it would be in the best interest of the children to facilitate their adoption by stable families, emphasised, Social Welfare director Ng Uttam, who, however, hastened to point out that creating hurdles to the mandated adoption procedures is depriving the children of their rights.

Speaking as the chief guest of the 23rd foundation day celebration of Universal Caring Mission (UNICAM) held at Chandra Leikol Children Home, Khurai Chairenthong Moirangkampu on Saturday, director Uttam continued that the various institutions are being looked into and activities taken up under the Social Welfare Department for the welfare of children, women, elderly, widows, .

differently-abled, pregnant women and other vulnerable sections of the society.

With regard to children, the department has taken up ICDS and Child Protection Mission in the form of Vatsalya.

Under this Mission, a website has been launched to maintain accountability and transparency of different child care institutes.

Half of these institutes will be geo-tagged under Mission Vatsalya.

However, owing to the ethnic conflict, Manipur is yet to submit its report, conceded the director, who also urged all for concerted efforts in filing reports to put Manipur at the forefront.

Ng Uttam continued that the Department also has a website while efforts are being made to upload the list of all related institutes under the 'Institutions' tab.

Anyone in need can access the website to identify the institute they need to know.

As such, he urged all to avail the benefits of the same.

Informing that all children's homes in the state, sponsored or non-sponsored by the Department, are required to be registered under the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, Uttam said that although there maybe non-registered children's homes in the hill districts, the officials concerned are tasked to identify the same and help them get registered.

He then appealed to the masses to inform the department if they come across any unregistered children's homes.

He further said that the JJ Act deals with CNCP and Children in Conflict with Law (CCL).

In Manipur's context, CNCP are placed in children's homes.

However, this should not be the last, option.

Prior to this, foster care and adoption should be accorded priority, he explained.

Stating that there is due process for declaring a child legally free for adoption, the director informed that that the consent of the nearest kin is needed to allow the adoption.

However, most relatives do not give permission easily.

Still, if the relatives cannot care or adopt the children, they should allow the children's adoption by prospec -tive parents.

Blocking or delaying the adoption amounts to denying the children of their rights, reiterated the director.

Regarding foster care, he explained that it means to care for the children and allowing them to grow up in a healthy family environment.

Once the children grow up into adults, they would be able to make their own decisions or go on their ways, he added.

Uttam then said that while the social Welfare department may be the nodal department, ensuring welfare and protection of children concerns the police, health and education departments, as mandated under the JJ Act.

The Act involves every department, he added, while stating that children are present in all families and institutions.

Thus, all need to be aware of the basic features of the Act, he contended.

Presided over by UNICAM president Soibam Nando, the function was also attended by Manipur State Commission for Women chairperson Ulka Salam as guest of honour.

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