MSCPCR chairperson seeks govt action on green spaces, child safety SOP

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 17, 2025

Chairperson of the Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) Agatha K Sangma has sought the chief minister Conrad K Sangma and social welfare minister Paul Lyngdoh’s intervention for the creation of more green and recreational spaces for children and the need for a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure safety and well-being of children, who travel to other parts of the country. 

The SOP would require organizations and individuals to follow certain guidelines when taking children outside the state.

“I have met the chief minister and social welfare minister today for the creation of more green spaces, more recreational spaces in our towns,” Sangma told reporters on Wednesday.

The chairperson also briefed the social welfare minister about the decision on the need to come up with an SOP for safety of children going outside the state or are being taken by individuals or organizations – at a recently held meeting with the various departments including education, police, law, health etc.

“There has to be certain SOPs they should follow as many a time child is being taken and the government is not even aware about it and only when something terrible happens, we get to know about it.

So we need to prevent it by making sure that the situation is such that we are fully aware where these children are, what conditions they are living in and what kinds of institutes they are being sent to. Are they legal institute, even hostels are they legally set up, “she said. 

Asked, the chairperson said, “It is a suggestion by the commission that we should have an SOP and we took different departments and taking their suggestions on what type of an SOP should be created and I hope the government takes it forward and create one. Once we have an SOP, we will actually have a list of institutes because they will have to follow the SOPs before they take the children out of the state.”

The chairperson informed that the MSCPCR has been conducting sensitization programs in schools to raise awareness about child rights, child sexual abuse, and domestic violence.

Sangma emphasized the importance of creating a conducive environment where people can report incidents of violence and injustice.

“There has been a recent case where a mother refuses to file an FIR because the perpetrator is a relative of the family. So, in situation like these, we need to come up and say this is wrong and the commission will intervene, police will intervene and family will have to cooperate to make sure that you don’t attach a taboo to these kinds of incidents and you don’t treat them as victims but as survivors,” she stated.

Expressing concern over the rising crimes against women and children, the chairperson has attributed it to a societal problem that requires a collective effort to address. 

She emphasized the need for teachers, families, and society as a whole to play a role in preventing such crimes.