To,
His Excellency, The Governor of Nagaland / The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland Government of Nagaland Civil Secretariat, Kohima, Nagaland
Subject: Representation Urging Immediate Government Action on Child Protection in the Wake of a Grievous Case of Child Sexual Abuse in Dimapur, Nagaland
Your Excellency / Honourable Sir,
I. PREAMBLE
The Nagaland NGO Forum (NNF) and the Nagaland Schools’ Alliance (NSA), representing a broad coalition of civil society organisations, schools, faith communities, and concerned citizens across Nagaland, humbly submit this representation before the Government of Nagaland. We do so with a sense of deep urgency, moral obligation, and abiding faith in the Government’s commitment to the protection and dignity of every child in this State.
This representation is further strengthened and endorsed by the collective voice of all participants of the Community Stakeholder Consultation on Child Protection held on 09 June 2026 at the Town Hall, Dimapur -each of whom has affixed their signature to this document as a personal and public commitment to the cause of child safety in Nagaland.
We write not merely to protest, but to appeal – respectfully and firmly – for immediate, decisive, and sustained governmental action to address the crisis of child sexual abuse in Nagaland and to ensure that justice, protection, and healing are placed at the heart of our public institutions.
II. THE INCIDENT – A CRY THAT DEMANDS A RESPONSE
It has come to the attention of our organisations, and to the conscience of the wider public, that a
14-year-old girl residing in Dimapur, Nagaland, was subjected to repeated acts of sexual abuse over the course of an entire year-perpetrated by the very guardian entrusted with her safety, care, and wellbeing.
This child endured her ordeal in silence for twelve months. Twelve months of fear. Twelve months of isolation. Twelve months of a childhood irreparably stolen. It was only through extraordinary personal courage that she finally found her voice. Her bravery in speaking out must be honoured – not merely with words, but with the full force of justice and institutional protection.
This is not an isolated incident. It is a symptom of systemic gaps in child protection – in our laws, in our institutions, in our communities, and in the social and cultural norms that too often shield perpetrators and silence survivors. We cannot, and we must not, allow this to continue.
CHILDLINE Helpline: 1098 | Nagaland Police: 100 | Women’s Helpline: 181
The survivors identity is profected under applicable laws. | NF& NSA – Protecting Children. Ampliting Voices. Demanding Justice.
III. LEGAL FRAMEWORK – OUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE LAW
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, is unambiguous in its mandate. It provides for appropriate punishment for sexual offences against children, establishes child-friendly procedures for investigation and trial, and places a duty of care upon every institution and individual. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, further reinforces the State’s obligation to ensure the safety, rehabilitation, and dignified reintegration of child survivors.
We respectfully submit that the full letter and spirit of these laws must be enforced without compromise, without delay, and without discrimination – in every district, in every institution, and at every level of our administration.
IV. OUR DEMANDS – WHAT WE RESPECTFULLY URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO DO We respectfully but firmly urge the Government of Nagaland to take the following immediate and long-term measures:
- Direct NCCR, NSPCR& Nagaland State Commission for Women: To closely monitor the case. Ensure an impartial investigation, Fast-Track Justice with time-bound, free from socio-political or professional influence. Strictly protect the minor victim’s identity, privacy, & dignity per POCSO guidelines, with robust witness protection for her & her family against intimidation. Prioritize the victim’s best interests through free legal aid, medical care, long-term trauma counseling, educational continuity, rehabilitation, and timely Nirbhaya victim compensation.
- Full Support for the Survivor: Ensure that the survivor receives comprehensive psychological counselling, medical care, and legal assistance, fully funded by the State, through a dedicated One-Stop Crisis Centre in Dimapur – operational without delay.
- Mandatory Child Protection Policies (CPP): Issue a Government Order mandating all schools, colleges, residential institutions, childcare homes, and guardianship arrangements across Nagaland to adopt and enforce a formal Child Protection Policy, with compliance audited annually.
- State-Level Child Abuse Review Committee: Constitute a high-level State Child Abuse Review Committee comprising representatives from government, civil society, law enforcement, healthcare, and the judiciary – to audit all reported cases of child abuse, identify systemic gaps, and publish public accountability reports on a quarterly basis.
- Community-Level Child Welfare Watchers: Deploy trained Child Welfare Watchers in every ward, village, and colony across Nagaland, with direct reporting lines to CHILDLINE (1098) and the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU).
- Increased Budgetary Allocation: Substantially increase the State’s budgetary allocation for child protection, survivor rehabilitation, and the operationalisation of the District Child Protection Units across all districts of Nagaland. Public Awareness and Stigma Elimination: Launch a sustained, State-wide public awareness campaign – across schools, churches, media, azzznd community bodies – to dismantle the culture of silence and shame around child sexual abuse, and to affirm that the shame belongs solely to the perpetrator, never to the child.
- Establishment of Permanent and Equipped Facilities for Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) Across District Headquarters Child Welfare Committees, constituted under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children Act, 2015, are presently functioning out of rented residential premises that are fundamentally ill-suited for handling sensitive cases involving child survivors of abuse, sexual assault, and exploitation. The absence of confidential counseling spaces, child-friendly environments, secure shelter provisions, and multidisciplinary support infrastructure severely undermines the statutory mandate of the CWC. We, therefore, urge the Government of Nagaland to:
- Allocate land and funds for dedicated, permanent WC buildings at all District Headquarters.
- Ensure trauma-informed, child-friendly design with private counseling rooms, separate waiting areas, and distinct legal/administrative spaces.
- Incorporate integrated short-stay shelter units for immediate crisis intervention.
- Equip facilities to host multidisciplinary teams comprising child psychologists, medical personnel, and legal aid providers.
Establish long-term residential rehabilitation units within or in close proximity to CW facilities, recognising that child survivors frequently require months or years of sustained psychological, medical, and social support before recovery. In numerous cases, parents or guardians may be illiterate, economically incapacitated, or otherwise unequipped to provide the specialised care the child requires. In such circumstances, the State bears a direct responsibility to ensure that the child receives continuous, structured, and dignified institutional care until they are ready to safely reintegrate into family and community life.
The establishment of fit-for-purpose WC infrastructure, including long-term care capacity is a constitutional imperative and a direct investment in the safety, recovery, and dignity of Nagaland’s most vulnerable children. We earnestly request immediate administrative and budgetary action toward this critical need.
VA CLOSING APPEAL —IN THE NAME OF EVERY CHILD
“When one child suffers in silence, the conscience of an entire community is on trial.”
Your Excellency / Honourable Sir, as a concerned coalition of organisations and community stakeholders, we appeal to your conscience, your authority, and your humanity. Your response to this representation will be a living testament that the Government of Nagaland has not grown numb to the cries of the innocent.
When the full force of the State stands up for a child who could not stand up for herself, it sends a message to every survivor, every frightened child, and every broken family across this land.
“We see you. We stand with you. And you are never alone.”
We earnestly pray and trust that the Government of Nagaland will act with the urgency, compassion, and resolve that this matter so gravely demands.
Respectfully submitted,
On behalf of the Nagaland NGO Forum (NNF) & Nagaland Schools’ Alliance (NSA) and all undersigned participants:
Dr. Andrew Ahoto Sema
President
Nagaland NGO Forum (NNF)
Mr. Noune Kire
Exec. Member
Nagaland Schools’ Alliance (NSA)