The Nagaland State Orientation Training on Adoption Regulations 2022, sponsored by CARA and organized by the State Adoption Resource Agency Mission Vatsalya, Department of Social Welfare, was held on February 15.
During the inaugural program, Richa Ojha, Deputy Director of CARA, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Delhi, addressed the event. She expressed concern about the decline in child adoptions in the state and emphasized the crucial role of state and district machineries, as well as all relevant agencies, as the hands and feet of the ministry.
She highlighted that CARA, as a statutory body under the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, is dedicated to promoting in-country adoptions and facilitating state adoptions. CARA also coordinates with state agencies and informed the participants about its other roles and functions.
Stating the Supreme Court’s observation on the declining number of adoptions in the country, Ojha informed that CARA is expanding the scope of the JJ Act to include two new categories of children for adoption: children of unfit parents who are mentally challenged or serving jail sentences, and children without social support systems.
Furthermore, she emphasized that any child in a 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 decisions must be made regarding rehabilitative measures.
Guidelines have been sent to all districts through the ministry for the identification of such children, in addition to abandoned, orphaned, and surrendered children, informed Ojha.
She emphasized that in the closely-knit society of Nagaland, it is crucial to identify children in difficult situations and consider them for placement in foster care. Additionally, Ojha informed that CARA has introduced a foster care module for eligible families willing to register for temporary care of children, enabling them to register with documents and be referred for foster care.
Foster care is a very good option for removing children from difficult situations and placing them in families, in addition to adoption, noted Ojha.
In her keynote address, Tosheli Zhimomi, Director of the Social Welfare Department and CEO & Member Secretary of State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA), stated that Nagaland, as a tribal society, has its own longstanding traditions and customs.
She pointed out that adoption of children is not new to Naga society, as kinship adoption has always been prevalent. “There is a culture where the community comes together to take collective responsibility for the less fortunate, leading to fewer cases of abandonment or surrendering of children compared to many other states,” viewed Zhimomi.
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However, Zhimomi emphasized that this practice has its limitations and challenges in serving the best interests of children. While many children are fortunate to be well integrated within their own kin and treated well, this arrangement may not be conducive for some.
Furthermore, she explained that the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, and its subsequent amendments aim to ensure the welfare and well-being of orphaned, abandoned, or surrendered children by facilitating their adoption into loving families.
The Inaugural program was led by Imkongzenla, Joint Director of the Department of Social Welfare. Following this, Richa Ojha conducted technical sessions on Adoption regulations and CARINGS, while Renchumi Imti addressed the role of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs). The moderator for the sessions was Kekuolhuno Nakhro, Programme Officer at SARA.
