Puri: A two days National consultation & Convergence meeting to end child sexual abuse in India was inaugurated at Puri today. This was organized by National Action and Coordination Group for Ending Violence Against Children (NACG EVAC), India a national level civil society forum of SEIVAC, an apex body of SAARC.
The objective of this Consultation is to develop a platform for CSOS and other stakeholders to share the Child Protection Challenges and good practices in preventing Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation and also collaborate with various stakeholders to review and firm up the strategy to end Child Sexual Abuse with involvement of all stakeholders related to child protection issue told by Mr. Ranjan Kumar Mohanty, Chairperson of NACG EVAC India. Justice DP Chowdhury, Former Judge, Orissa High Court & President, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission addressed the participating members, emphasized on role of Civil Society members to create awareness on rights of the child and ensured they claim their rights. Participation of children to voice their needs is the first step to ensure they are empowered and protected. There is a need to behave children in a very friendly manner at all spheres and settings.
Dr. Rinchen Chophel, Director General of SAIEVAC said that It is the right time we must start protecting children focusing on issues relating to the child sexual abuse at this point of Pandemic. Mr. Mikhael Pradhan World Vision India said, Child sexual exploitation is such a serious issue and its magnitude, it demands a concerted effort by all the stakeholders to work together. Mr. Yashwant Jain, Member, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Expressed his deep concern over rising incidents of child sexual abuse. He also highlighted that it is a greater need to reach out to children, school, and community to create awareness on the POCSO Act to help them understand that gravity of the penalty under the POCSO. Ms. Sandhyabati Pradhan, Chairperson, OSCPCR, shared about the initiatives taken by the government of Odisha and OSCPCR in preventing child sexual abuse and applauded the work of NACG-EVAC India for the cause. Mr Sanjay Mishra, Treasurer of NACG EVAC India gave vote of thanks to all the speakers for their valuable inputs. Among others Ms. Vidya Reddy, Director Tulir, Mr. Barun Pathak, Advocate Supreme Court, Mr. D. Roshan Kumar, Vice-chair, NACG, Dr. Indrani Bhattacharyya, Mr. Parha Das, Plan India, Dr. Abhaya Kumar Mallick, Dy. Director, Elementary Education, Govt. of Odisha, Dr. Anangdev Singh, WVI, Mr. Subrat Kumar Panda, TdH, NL, Ms. Aditi P. Kaur, E.C Member, NACG India spoke on the occasion.
A total, 105 delegates from 17 States representing from civil societies, government, statutory bodies and academic institutions participated in the consultation.
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