IT News
Imphal, August 23:
Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo Singh has stressed the need to cooperate amongst the stakeholders in order to stop sexual abuses against children in the state. The Minister was speaking at the closing function of Mass Awareness Rally Against Child Sexual Abuse held at Ima Khunthokhanbi Sanglen, Thangmeiband in Imphal today. The programme was organized by Department of Social Welfare, Government of Manipur.
Minister Dingo said for the last one year the number of cases relating to the sexual abuses amongst the children in the state has been increasing in an alarming rate. He said more than 150 cases have been registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, till date. Expressing concern over the increasing number of such cases, the Minister said Manipur top the list in reported cases of sexual abuses against children in the country which is quite unfortunate and therefore all stakeholders including CSOs, Meira Paibis, local clubs and student organizations should cooperate to stop such crimes in the state.
Minister further added that mass awareness programme regarding POCSO Act will be organized in all the districts. This will help in creating awareness among the people and also in stopping crimes especially sexual abuses against the children. Organizing such rallies will definitely help in spreading messages to the masses, he added.
Reiterating that children are the future of the Nation, the Minister said that any inhuman act like sexual abuses should be immediately reported to the concerned so that follow up actions can be initiated against the culprits. If proper action has not been taken up in time, it will help in recurrence of the crime and will also give huge impact to the society, Minister added.
Earlier, a mass rally against Child Sexual Abusewas flagged off by P. Vaiphei, Additional Chief Secretary, Social Welfare, Govt. of Manipur covering Imphal areas. More than 2,000 children from various districts of the state took part in the rally.
Dr. Usham Deben Singh, MLA, Wabagai AC; Ng. Uttam Singh, Director, Social Welfare; K. Saroja Devi, Deputy Director (CP), Social Welfare; Child Welfare Committee and Juvenile Justice Board members of all the 16 districts; Children Home from 5 districts; students; officials and staffs of Social Welfare Department attended the closing function.
