Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo Singh has stressed the need to cooperate amongst the stakeholders in order to stop sexual abuses against children in the state. The Minister was speaking at the closing function of the Mass Awareness Rally Against Child Sexual Abuse held at Ima Khunthokhanbi Sanglen, Thangmeiband in Imphal today. The programme was organized by the Department of Social Welfare, Government of Manipur.

Minister Dingo said for the last year the number of cases relating to sexual abuse amongst the children in the state has been increasing at an alarming rate. He said more than 150 cases have been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, to date. Expressing concern over the increasing number of such cases, the Minister said Manipur tops the list in reported cases of sexual abuse against children in the country which is quite unfortunate and therefore all stakeholders including CSOs, Meira Paibis, local clubs, and student organizations should cooperate to stop such crimes in the state.

Minister further added that a mass awareness programme regarding POCSO Act will be organized in all the districts. This will help in creating awareness among the people and also in stopping crimes, especially sexual abuses against children. Organizing such rallies will definitely help in spreading messages to the masses, he added.

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Reiterating that children are the future of the Nation, the Minister said that any inhuman act like sexual abuse should be immediately reported to the concerned so that follow up actions can be initiated against the culprits. If proper action has not been taken up in time, it will help in the recurrence of the crime and will also give a huge impact on society, Minister added. 

Earlier, a mass rally against Child Sexual Abuse was flagged off by P. Vaiphei, Additional Chief Secretary, Social Welfare, Govt. of Manipur covering Imphal areas. More than 2,000 children from various districts of the state took part in the rally.

Dr. Usham Deben Singh, MLA Wabagai, Ng. Uttam Singh, Director, Social Welfare; K. Saroja Devi, Deputy Director (CP), Social Welfare; Child Welfare Committee and Juvenile Justice Board members of all the 16 districts; Children Home from 5 districts; students; officials and staff of Social Welfare Department attended the closing function.

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