Sexual violence against girl children increasing

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

Guwahati, January 29: A 2–day State level review consultation programme was iugurated on Thursday at the Assam Administrative Staff College here on the topic “End Violence Against Children”.

The consultation was organized jointly by the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the UNICEF, Assam, Field Office.

The programme was iugurated with the felicitation programme of the dignitaries. The chief guests presented in the programme were Dr Tushar Rane, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Assam, Jyotirmoy Chakrabarty, Police Commissioner, Guwahati, Assam Police, David Mcloughlin, Deputy  Representative–Programmes, UNICEF, India Country Office, New Delhi and Jitesh  Khosla, Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam.

The main objective of the programme was to discuss about various solutions to fight against the problems related to the children in Assam – violence against children, increasing number of child labours, child abuse, trafficking of juvenile children in the State.

“The annual report emphasizes on how to end violence against the children,” said Lee Das, member secretary, Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR), in her welcome note.

She also informed that they would observe the Child Protection Day on March 4 and would visit places like Majuli, Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong with a team of experts to promote the cause.

The 5th annual report of ASCPCR was iugurated by Jitesh Khosla, Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam.

It was found in the last year’s survey that sexual violence against the female children was 45%, who are under the age group of 15–19 years, whereas 77 per cent of these cases were reported against husband or partners, and only 3 per cent against strangers.

From January 2012 to October 2014, 4,754 children were missing in the State, who are still to be found.

Child marriage is also prevalent in Assam like some other parts of the country.  

However, the lowest affected districts in this regard are lbari, North Cachar Hills and Kamrup.

There were also representatives of the social working group LEHER, New Delhi, mely Nicole Rangel and Kajol Menon who took part in the programme.

The vote of thanks was given by Gopal Sarma, member, Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights ( ASCPCR).