Imphal: Manipur officials are sitting on a child protection policy nearly a decade after its 2017 launch. The draft remains unnotified, leaving 30,000 conflict-stricken children in the lurch. These kids face displacement, interrupted schooling, and severe psychological distress. The state government has stalled progress despite repeated revisions and public feedback. The policy languished in legal limbo for years.
The Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) pushed for this framework after drafting began in 2017. They submitted a revised version in 2026. The Commission even dragged the Juvenile Justice Committee of the High Court of Manipur into the fight to force administrative movement. Nothing changed. The government still has not pushed the draft through for final approval.
This framework aims to protect marginalized groups, including children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and gender-non-conforming youth. It tackles modern threats like cyber safety and online abuse. The plan forces cooperation between the Departments of Social Welfare, Education, Health, Home, Labour, and Rural Development. Officials expect the final text to align with the Juvenile Justice Act of 2015 and UN standards. As the MCPCR notes, "The policy must not remain another unfinished government initiative."
Manipur already runs sectoral policies, such as the 1996 AIDS policy and the 2019 policy on psychoactive substances. Unlike those, this requires total departmental coordination. With Children's Day set for November 14, the government has one final chance to drag this draft before the Cabinet. Real protection needs accountability and money, not just empty promises on paper.
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