IMPHAL September 14: The Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) organized a State level consultation on Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act today at Manipur Press Club Imphal and resolved to demand a separate POCSO Court considering the delay in justice delivery to the increasing number of related cases.
According to the MACR convener, Montu Ahanthem, it is imperative to brainstorm together on the implementation and progress of the Act in Manipur as accountable and concern stakeholders, to strive at better convergence and wider dissemination of awareness.
K Pradipkumar, chairperson, CWC, Imphal East moderated the vibrant consultation on the theme `Gaps and Challenges in the implementation of POCSO Act 2012`™.
Three experts on the subject N Nonibala, L Pishak and Th Rajkishor were the panelist for the consultation.
The panelist also shared their experiences regarding several cases with the public.
They narrated several interesting cases which gave new insights to the people attending the consultation.
After an indept brain storming the consultative meeting adopted some resolutions including to facilitate the service environment for implementing POCSO Act in Manipur.
The moderator said, `Rectify the unhealthy gendered/sexist attitude of the society towards victims, shifting and burdening the post incident onus to the victims. Popularize the police punishment component in the Act for unwillingness to register POCSO cases and compliance to special POCSO procedures while dealing with victims and other legal entitlements. Demand a separate POCSO Court and proper constitution of Juvenile Justice Police Unit to expedite the cases.
The resolutions also include insisting on the CWC and DCPU to immediately constitute a pool of trained translators for Children with special needs, to initiate a social campaign to address mob justice proposing the option of Legal Justice System so as to avoid the burden on the innocent family members of the offenders while ensuring punishment for the offenders and comprehensive justice for the victims.`™
Unfortunately very few cases have been disposed off in the State till date. For instance only one out of forty cases in Imphal West has been disposed off till date. Inadequate qualified human resource within the police despite the practical exhaustiveness of the procedures is cited as one major reason for delay in the POCSO cases, the convener shared.
The consultation was participated by more than sixty stakeholders namely the district partners of MACR, NGOs working on Child Rights, Child Line, CWCs, JJBs, DCPUs and other stakeholders.