New SCPCR chief to be appointed soon

SHILLONG, June 11: A new chairperson for the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) is due and paperwork is under way, that will soon lead to the official announcement.
Sources on Tuesday said that the select committee will examine the names of a few potential candidates, which were forwarded by the Social Welfare department.
The select committee will first likely recommend the names of the potential candidates to be appointed as the chairperson. Those will then be place before Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh for scrutiny.
The final decision on the reconstitution of the new body and appointment of the new chairperson will be decided by the Cabinet, sources added. It may be recalled that the three-year-long term of former SCPCR Chairperson, Iamonlang Syiem, ended in September last year.
The state government extended her term from mid-December till February 28 to allow her to complete her work.
Her major achievement is the Khasi translation of the POCSO Act — “Ki Kyndon Aiñ” and the release of the preliminary report on POCSO cases in the courts of the state.
The six members of the previous body of SCPCR included Shanon Donna Massar, Yorica Shylla, Flabina P Marak, MK Marak, Tiana TD Areng and Dr Ibamon Laloo.
The SCPCR was set up in 2014 to protect and promote the rights of children from the age of 0 to 18 years.
The Commission is further mandated to monitor the proper and effective implementation of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012; Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.