SHILLONG, Oct 8: A workshop was organised to disseminate awareness on different programmes for the welfare of children — Mission Vatsalya, Juvenile Justice Amendment Act 2021 and Rules 2022, Adoption Regulations 2022 and PM Care scheme — by the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) and Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and Social Welfare department.
Altogether 90 participants comprising functionaries of State Child Protection Society (SCPS), District Child Protection Units (DCPUs), members of Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), chairperson and members of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) and Child Care Institutions (CCIs) from all 11 districts of the state and representatives of the district administrations were present for the workshop.
The workshop oriented the participants at length on the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015, and its Amendment Act, 2021, and Juvenile Justice Model Rules 2016 and its Amendment 2022, especially in the context of adoption.
The workshop also highlighted that the key players for the effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act 2015 and Adoption Regulation 2022 are the District Magistrates (DMs) and District Child Protection Units. The DMs being the head of the DCPUs are responsible for ensuring effective child protection and adoption services within the district.
Participants shared their problems and constraints in the effective implementation of Juvenile Justice Act and Adoption Regulation.
Ideas to identify the scope for convergence with different stakeholders as mentioned under Mission Vatsalya were discussed as well.
Mission Vatsalya Scheme lays emphasis on child rights, advocacy and awareness along with strengthening of the juvenile justice care and protection system with the motto to ‘leave no child behind’.
Senior officers present for the workshop were Tripti Gurha, Joint Secretary Ministry of Women and Child Development, Director NIPCCD and CEO of CARA, E Kharmalki, Secretary, Social Welfare department, Iamon Syiem, Chairperson, Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR), Dr J Pati, Director, CARA, Dr S Barik, Joint Director, NIPCCD, L Lyngdoh, Assistant Director, Social Welfare department and Junaid ul Islam, Consultant, Ministry of Women and Child Welfare.
