Essays

India has 375 million children, more than any other country in the world. Their condition has improved in the last five decades with child survival rates up, school dropout rates down, and several policy commitments made by the government at the national and international levels.

Resource allocations by the State, however, remain quite inadequate to take care of the survival and healthcare needs of infants and children, their education, development and protection.

India has made some significant commitments towards ensuring the basic rights of children. There has been progress in overall indicators: infant mortality rates are down, child survival is up, literacy rates have improved and school dropout rates have fallen. But the issue of Child Rights in India is still caught between legal and policy commitments to children on the one hand, and the fallout of the process of globalization on the other.

Socio-economic factors must also be taken into account. The girl-child has a lower status in India and enjoys fewer rights, opportunities and benefits of childhood as compared to the boy-child. The boy-child has first right on family and community resources. The girl-child is also neglected in matters of feeding and health care. The dietary consumption data of the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) suggests that the girl in the age group 13-15 years consumes less than two-thirds of the recommended calorie intake. She remains intellectually underdeveloped, being denied the opportunity to attend school. Most tragically, the girl-child in India is unwanted and considered a liability by her own family. Marriage is considered a priority as soon as she attains puberty. Children are also the main targets of the labour market. They can be hired at much lower wages than adults. Many of India's children are forced into the labour market when they are only three years old'

Several constitutional provisions protect the children of India. Among them: Article 15 affirms the right of the State In make special provision for women and children; Article 24 provides that no child below the age of 14 shall be employed to work...in any hazardous employment; Article 39(c) of the Directive Principles of State Policy provides that children of tender age should not be abused and that they should not be forced by economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength; Article 39(f) requires children to be given opportunities and facilities to

develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth be protected against exploitation and moral and material abandonment; Article 45 of the Directive Principles of State Policy provides for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of 14.

India's commitment to 'provide for and ensure Universal Elementary Education for all children' up to the age of 14 has been reiterated time and again. The Kothari Commission (1964-1966), the Acharya Ramamurthy Committee (1990), the ProfYash Pal Committee (1993), the Saikia Committee (1997) have all reiterated the need for free and compulsory universal elementary education (UEE) and quality education.

India has the largest number of working children in the world. Estimates on the magnitude of child labour vary from approximately 11.28 million (Census of India. 1991) to 23.2 million estimated by the International Labour Organization. The government admits that about 2 million children are employed in hazardous industries, occupations  and processes. Other unofficial sources estimate 100 million working children in the country.

India has the dubious distinction of having the largest population of street children. Street children suffer from destitution, neglect, abuse and exploitation. It is estimated that in urban areas, alone there are 11 million children on the streets. Of them 420,000 street children live in the six metropolitan cities of the country. Under the Scheme for Welfare of Street Children, more than 24,000 street children are being benefited.

Children of construction workers and migrant laborers are deprived of health, nutrition and education facilities. Day-care facilities for the children are negligible. The National Creche Fund set up by the Department of Women and Child in 1994, gives assistance to voluntary organizations to set up creches for children of working mothers.

Over the years there has been an increase in the number of child prostitutes. Government of India estimates put the number at 400,000. According to UNICEF, almost 15 percent of prostitutes enter the profession before the age of 15, and 25 percent enter between 15-18. A number of children in prostitution are children of prostitutes. According to government estimates, one in every 10 children is born with, or acquires, a physical, mental or Sensory disability. So India could have 12 million disabled children. It is unfortunate that society continues to treat disability with apathy or at best pity, on the one hand, and revulsion on the other. Inspite of recognition of the need In make special efforts for the physically and mentally challenged, the efforts have been inadequate. Disability continues to fall in the realm of 'social welfare'. While efforts are on to bring it into the realm of 'rights', there is still a long way to go.