<p>Bengaluru: 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 on Tuesday to highlight the psychological impact of divorces and custody disputes on children.</p>.<p>Experts called for urgent reforms to address parental alienation and ensure children’s right to maintain relationships with both parents.</p>.<p>Arijit Mitra, founder of AIFCR, discussed the 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.</p>.Mental health added in services under primary healthcare provided at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs: Nadda.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>Prof Sunitha K Mani, Dean of the Emotional First Aid Academy, discussed children's developmental vulnerability and urged the destigmatisation of marital issues, alongside the promotion of co-parenting workshops.</p>.<p>The panel, moderated by Vasanthi Hariprakash, a journalist and media entrepreneur, agreed on the urgent need for legal, societal, and psychological interventions to protect children’s well-being amidst family disputes.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: 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 on Tuesday to highlight the psychological impact of divorces and custody disputes on children.</p>.<p>Experts called for urgent reforms to address parental alienation and ensure children’s right to maintain relationships with both parents.</p>.<p>Arijit Mitra, founder of AIFCR, discussed the 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.</p>.Mental health added in services under primary healthcare provided at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs: Nadda.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>Prof Sunitha K Mani, Dean of the Emotional First Aid Academy, discussed children's developmental vulnerability and urged the destigmatisation of marital issues, alongside the promotion of co-parenting workshops.</p>.<p>The panel, moderated by Vasanthi Hariprakash, a journalist and media entrepreneur, agreed on the urgent need for legal, societal, and psychological interventions to protect children’s well-being amidst family disputes.</p>