– Mohmmed Atherulla Shariff
Bengaluru: Protection of children’s right especially from child abuse has always been a matter of great concern. Ministry for Women and Child Development, National Commission for Child Rights, and Child Welfare Committee have been working for the welfare of children. But what doesn’t come under their ambit is the psychological effect of parental disputes on their wards.
A panel discussion titled “Forgotten Voice in Family Disputes: Addressing Parental Alienation in India,” organised by the Ayushman Initiative for Child Rights (AIFCR) and Milaap for co-parenting, was held here Tuesday to highlight the psychological impact of divorces and custody disputes on children.
Experts called for urgent reforms to address parental alienation and ensure children’s right to maintain relationships with both parents.
Arijit Mitra, founder of AIFCR, discussed severe mental health consequences of parental alienation, including its links to depression and, in extreme cases, suicide. He advocated for judicial reforms, media sensitivity, and psychological evaluations in custody decisions, urging the implementation of shared parenting as recommended in the 2015 Law Commission report.
Juhi Damodar, an advocate, researcher, and president of the Child Welfare Committee in Udupi, said parental alienation affects over 82,000 children annually in India. She distinguished it from family estrangement, explaining how manipulative influences, often from relatives, lead children to unjustly reject a parent.
Pepe Zalba, a Spanish national living in India, shared his personal struggle as a father navigating the family court system. He criticised gender biases and inadequate visitation rights for non-custodial parents, which he likened to prison visitation conditions.
Gazal Raina, a CSR professional and founder of Milaap, a social support group for co-parenting, addressed the stigma faced by alienated parents, describing their isolation and loss of identity.
Kaustav Das, an alienated father now reunited with his daughter, recounted his advocacy for shared parenting, likening parental alienation to psychological coercion. He stressed the need for legal recognition of children’s rights to maintain relationships with both parents.
Prof Sunitha K Mani, Dean of Emotional First Aid Academy, discussed children’s developmental vulnerability and urged the destigmatisation of marital issues, alongside the promotion of co-parenting workshops.
The panel, moderated by Vasanthi Hariprakash, a journalist and media entrepreneur, agreed to the urgent need for legal, societal, and psychological interventions to protect children’s well-being amidst family disputes.
Wise men say ‘the best gift to your children is to love their mother’. Better understanding and mutual trust and love between husband and wife is the best therapy for child development.
