New Delhi: Thirty years after global leaders promised to protect the rights of all children, millions are still not in school, face poverty, exploitation, violence, neglect, and abuse.
A new India report, Child Rights in India – An Unfinished Agenda, states that as per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), absolute number of rapes against children has increased approximately five times between 1994 and 2016, which is a cause of great concern to child protection in the country. The study has also identified that social disaggregation on the lines of gender, social groups and religion increase vulnerability of children and their ability to demand their rights. Disability and situations of disaster only make it worse.
Releasing the report at an event, Yaduvendra Mathur, Special Secretary, Knowledge Innovation Hub, NITI Aayog, said, “I would like to congratulate the six organisations for coming together in spirit of partnership and collaborating for the rights of children. I would also invite the Joining Forces to collaborate with NITI Aayog on addressing the child rights concerns with focus on achieving child-focused SDGs within the ambit of NITI Aayog’s aspirational districts interventions. I would also emphasize the collaboration on Poshan Abhiyan, and also in monitoring the progress on key child focused indicators.”
As per the report, though progress has been noted in reducing malnutrition, the rate of reduction, however, is not as desired. In India, NFHS-4 data (2015-16) states that 38.4 percent children are still stunted, which is disconcerting. The report also identifies four specific components of child rights that have received lesser attention –sexual and reproductive health; access to play, recreation and leisure; family and community-based protection mechanisms and engagement of children in decision-making at family and community level.
The report highlights the urgency to address the political, social and economic factors inhibiting child rights and the ineffective implementation of policies and programmes. It reinforces an urgent need to build on the opportunities provided by progressive social legislations and programmes, presence of statutory child rights institutions and strong civil society presence.