Nagaland Chief Secretary advocates for immediate implementation of POCSO Act guidelines

Chief Secretary of Nagaland, Dr J Alam, in his address at Hotel Japfü, Kohima on July 5 said that the guidelines to support persons under section 39 of the POCSO Act, 2012 should be adopted by the state and implemented at the earliest.

Speaking at the Symposium for ‘Model Guidelines with respect to Support Persons U/S 39 OF POSCO Act, 2012’, Alam stressed that awareness of this act is not widespread, but such symposiums help in learning and clearing doubts. He also complimented the Commission and the department for organizing this symposium to create awareness and urged them to extend it further to the districts. He requested all stakeholders to sensitize everyone about child rights to ensure every child’s protection and advised that students in schools should also be educated about child rights.

Dr Alam also praised the Commission and the concerned department, stating that the government would fully support this act.

Chairman of the Nagaland State Commission for Project of Child Right (NSCPCR), Alun Hangsing, in his keynote address, mentioned that this commission was instituted in 2013 and has been striving to create awareness from the grassroots level since its inception. He emphasized the importance of child rights, highlighting four pillars: the right to survival, the right to protection, the right to development, and the right to participation. He stressed that everyone, not just the department or commission, but every parent, brother, and sister, is a stakeholder. He added that the government is keen on strengthening the commission for child rights. He stated that the dream of every government is to build a vibrant society, and children are the backbone of the nation.

Therefore, it is essential to uphold all these rights to provide children with a conducive atmosphere. He also highlighted the importance of a “support person” in child rights and urged the department to implement these guidelines at the earliest to strengthen the act.

Later, in the technical session, Secretary of Judicial Justice & Law, Y Longkumer (NJS), spoke on the topic of “Victim Compensation and Roles of a Support Person,” and Consultant of the Legal Division, NCPCR, Anuj Saluja, highlighted the “Guidelines for Support Persons Under Section 39 of the POCSO Act.

MT