‘Nagaland stepping out of customary to legal adoption’
‘Nagaland stepping out of customary to legal adoption’
Advisor, Department of Social Welfare, Child Services, Noke Konyak launching the video on adoption and Radio Jingles on Friday. (Morung Photo)
Department of Social Welfare, Child Services launches video and Radio Jingles on legal adoption
Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 31
The Department of Social Welfare, Child Services, on August 31, initiated campaign on legal adoption with by releasing video and Radio Jingles. Launched by Noke Konyak, Advisor, Department of Social Welfare, the event was held at the Secretariat Conference Hall, Nagaland Civil Secretariat, Kohima.
The objective of the video on adoption developed by the Child Protection Services is to create awareness and knowledge among the stakeholders and public to perceive a better understanding on the concept of legal adoption and to address issues related to adoption.
Addressing the gathering, Sarah R Ritse, Secretary, Social Welfare Department & Chairman, Child Protection Services, Nagaland provided detailed information on adoption in India and Nagaland.
In order to support the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) under Ministry of Women and Child Development in promoting in-country and regulating inter-country adoption, the State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA) was established under the provision of Child Protection Services (CPS) formerly known as Integrated Child Protection Services (ICPS).
“SARA is mandated to ensure that every orphan, surrendered and abandoned children in the State has a loving and caring family. SARA in Nagaland has been doing exceptionally well since its inception in the year 2010 and this has been recognized by the Ministry as well as the National Advisory committee,” said Ritse.
She pointed out that the biggest achievement has been the increase of adoptive local Naga parents who are stepping out of the customary practice of adoption, and adopting children as per the Juvenile Justice System to ensure a secure and safe future for the child as well as for the adoptive parents.
The expected outcomes of the launch, according to Ritse, is to enable stakeholders and public to exercise responsibilities assigned by the Act, Rules and Regulations; function effectively to promote adoption program and validate adoptable children and data; educate others towards legal adoption; develop mechanism and strategies to identify and address specific issues related to adoption; provide support to SARA in preventing illegal adoption and bring more adoptable children and adoptive parents in the adoption pool.
Child Protection Services Director, Chubainla Jamir highlighted the works and activities of the State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA) which is the executive arm of the State Government for the promotion, facilitation, monitoring and regulation of the adoption program in the Nagaland.
In the district level, the District Child Protection Unit identifies orphans, abandoned and surrendered children and gets them legally free for adoption by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) with the help of Specialized Adoption Agency (SAA) and Child Care Institutions (CCI).
There are four SAA in Nagaland namely the Radiant Educational Society (SAA), Kohima, Kohima Orphanage and Destitute home, Kohima, John 3:16 in Mon and the Wondang-Ki Charitable Foundation in Dimapur.
“There are more than 60 Child Care institutions which have been linked to the SAA for linkage cases. Nagaland is one of the first states in India to start linkage cases of adoption. Some of the interventions and initiatives taken by the SARA –Nagaland has been recognized by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and recommended its good practices to other states,” stated Jamir.
Since its inception in 2010, SARA has completed 110 in-country adoption and 10 inter-country adoptions, according to Jamir where 85 percent of the adoption is by local Naga parents. According the Director, SARA’s initiatives have witnessed increasing numbers of Prospective Adoptive Parents who are opting for legal adoption instead of customary practices.
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