By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 12: Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) chairperson, Agatha Sangma, on Friday voiced concern over the rising cases of child abuse in the state, where women are supposedly treated fairly and are held in high regard.
Speaking at the State-level Multi-Stakeholders’ Consultation on “Safeguarding the Girl Child: Towards a Safer and Enabling Environment” held at the High Court of Meghalaya auditorium, she revealed that 1,562 cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act were instituted in the state over the past five years.
She noted that 900 POCSO cases have been pending at the police investigation level in the last three years.
On the issue of missing and trafficked children, Sangma said that 43 of the 183 girls reported missing during the past three years have remained untraced.
Acknowledging the judiciary’s progressive measures, including steps to expand online safety under POCSO and the creation of sub-committees on child rights, she emphasised that legislation and policies alone are not sufficient.
“Protection of the girl child is not only the government’s duty, but our collective responsibility. Communities, families, schools, and society must work together to ensure that every girl is safe at home, secure in school, free from exploitation, and empowered to dream without fear,” Sangma said.
The MSCPCR chairperson outlined the need for prevention and awareness campaigns to curb harmful practices such as early marriage and gender-based violence.
She also called for timely justice, child-friendly legal remedies, and gender-sensitive processes. Stressing the importance of education, she said, “When a girl is educated, she not only secures her own future but uplifts her entire community.”
Sangma urged the creation of safe spaces, both online and offline, to protect girls from cyberbullying, trafficking, and harassment. She highlighted the need to invest in the health and well-being of girls and their caregivers to break cycles of neglect and abuse.
“Protecting the girl child is not charity. It is justice. It is not a question of sympathy but a question of rights. When we protect a girl, we protect a generation, and when we empower her, we empower the nation,” Sangma stated.
In his address, acting Chief Justice Hamarsan Sing Thangkhiew described the girl child as the “backbone of society and the future of the nation.” He said empowering and protecting girls not only improves their lives but also helps build a healthier and stronger society.
He cautioned against assuming that Meghalaya’s matrilineal system ensures gender equality. “While girls may be regarded as custodians of property and lineage, discrimination persists at various levels,” he said.
“We are sometimes lulled into believing that girls enjoy equal access to education, opportunities, and benefits like boys. Sadly, that is not true,” he remarked.
Calling for greater awareness, he urged that forums and consultations be used to re-examine social realities and assess whether rural children, particularly girls, are being denied equal opportunities, despite constitutional guarantees of equal rights to every child.
Those present at the consultation included Justice W. Diengdoh, Justice Biswadeep Bhattacharjee, Commissioner and Secretary Pravin Bakshi, Social Welfare Department Director Camelia Doreen Lyngwa, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Rosetta M. Kurbah, senior police officials, principals, and teachers of various schools.