Nagaland State orientation training on Adoption Regulations 2022 held

February 16, 2024 12 Views No Comment

Kohima, February 16 (MExN): Nagaland State Orientation Training on Adoption Regulations 2022 sponsored by Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), Ministry of Women and Child Development, was organized by State Adoption Resource Agency Mission Vatsalya, Department of Social Welfare on February 15 in Kohima.

Addressing the inaugural programme, Richa Ojha, Deputy Director, Central Adoption Resource Authority, Ministry of Women and Child Development Delhi observed “the dip in the adoption of children in the state figures” and expressed concern while emphasising the crucial role of the state and district machineries and all agencies as the feet and hands of the Ministry.

She highlighted that CARA is a statutory body under Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act with the main aim to promote in country adoptions and facilitate in the state adoptions and coordinates with state agencies and also enlightened the participants with other roles and functions.

Pointing out the Supreme Court observation on the dipping number of adoptions in the country, she informed that under the scope of the JJ Act, CARA has been looking forward to two new category of children to bring them in adoption- firstly the children of unfit parents, who are mentally challenged or serving jail sentences and not bothered to look after the children without social support systems.

Another is, any child in Child Care Institution (CCI) whose parents or guardians have not visited them for more than a year and are languishing in the CCI, needs to be identified and decided what rehabilitative measures have to be taken.

She informed that through the Ministry, guidelines had been sent across to all the districts for the identification of such children besides the abandoned, orphan and surrendered children.

Pointing out that Nagaland is a closely knit society, however, she asserted that if there are any children of such cases, they need to be identified and find out if they can be kept in foster care situations.

She said that CARA now has a foster care module with fit families who are willing to register for taking children in temporary care has been approved, hence those foster families can register with documents and can be referred and undertaken.

She also stated that foster care of children is also a very good option in taking a child out of the situation and placing them in families besides adoption.

‘Adoption of children not new to Naga society’
Delivering the keynote address, Tosheli Zhimomi, Director, Social Welfare Department, CEO & Member Secretary of State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA) said “Nagaland as a tribal society, has its own tradition and customs which have been practiced since time immemorial.”

She pointed out that adoption of children is not new to the Naga society as Kinship adoption has always been prevalent in the Naga society. She said that there is a culture where the community comes together to take collective responsibility for the less fortunate. “Hence the cases of abandonment or surrendering of children are fewer compared to many other states,” she said.

Zhimomi maintained that this practice however, has its own limitations and challenges when it comes to serving the Best Interest of a Child. Many children are fortunate enough to be integrated within his/her own kinsmen and treated very well. While for some this arrangement may not be the most conducive environment, she said.

She informed that the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 Act) and its subsequent amendments aims to ensure the welfare and well-being of orphaned, abandoned or surrendered children by facilitating their adoption into loving families.

The inaugural programme was led by Imkongzenla, Joint Director, Department of Social Welfare.

Later, a technical session on Adoption regulations and CARINGS was taken by Richa Ojha and role of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) by Renchumi Imti, Programme Manager SARA. The moderator was Kekuolhuno Nakhro, Programme Officers SARA.