Caring for children - The ones who make a better day
The real bad news is the data on underweight children, which does nothing to help India escape the ignominy of being the world’s worst performer on this score, its share of such children being nearly double that of sub-Saharan Africa.
Bihar third among Indian states in child marriage
In Bihar, the average age of a girl at marriage is 17.2 years, third after Rajasthan (16.6 years) and Madhya Pradesh (17 years), according to a recent report of the UNICEF.
India’s endangered species: girls
Scratch the surface of Indian society, and you’ll find powerful social prejudice, to the point of female devaluation. And now, that devaluation is seen in the destruction of unborn and newly born girls: as technology increases, so does selective killing… inordinately biased against girls.
"Indian children are undernourished"
Despite India having an annual economic growth rate of 8.5 per cent, six per cent of the babies in this country die before their first birthday and nearly half of all children are undernourished, a new report has said.
PM asks states to check labour law violation
While the Centre is aiming to enforce labour laws in all states effectively, minister of state for labour and employment Oscar Fernandes said only few states were actually implementing labour legislations, ensuring right work environment and wages for the workforce.
Tough child labour laws proposed
The Indian government is proposing a complete ban on employing children below the age of 11.
December 29, 2006
December 27, 2006
Indian Child Labour: More than 'tough stances' needed
BBC News reported recently that India is taking a tougher stance on child labour. Tougher than government notification issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment this August, that prohibited and made liable for punishment those who employed "children as domestic servants or servants or in dhabas (roadside eateries), restaurants, hotels, motels, teashops, resorts, spas or in other recreational centres" and restricted the age of children allowed to work in these places to above 14 years.
Defining child labour in a way that everyone agrees has always been a challenge. The closest one comes to consensus on this issue is through the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Convention No. 182 that defines worst forms of child labour. The interesting thing is that India is one for the few countries that has not ratified the convention.
The convention acknowledges that in some countries and contexts children may need to contribute economically to the family's needs, but seeks to safeguard their rights by listing the 'worst forms of child labour' that children should not be engaged in. And the ban mentioned above brings domestic labour and work in 'recreational centres' into the cover of India's Child Labour (Prohibition and Enforecement) Act 1986.
The current push in the form of a proposal sent around by Ms. Renuka Chowdary, Minister for Women and Child Development to legal experts and state governments seeks to completely ban any child below the age of 11 working. Period. According to the BBC, Ms. Chowdary said "The idea behind the proposal is to ensure the right to education and a life of dignity to every single child as enshrined in our constitution." The report does not explain how this suggestion will acheive this.
The Hindustan Times reports that the proposal also seeks to give "the government the power to notify rules to impart education to child labourer." While education is a right for every child embodied in the Indian Constitution, the mechanics of this have been stuck in the 'corridors of power' making education possible only for the children of the rich.
NGOs like World Vision and Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Child Movement) say that every child not in school is vulnerable to child labour, and hence are advocating for the immediate roll out of the 'Right to education' act. And the consensus is that these 'tough stances' are nothing but half measures. And what happens to the children who are not allowed to work as per law and cannot attend school?
Education made available free for every child is the only way to end child labour in India.
And if we look at the way education in India is going, that may never happen. Sorry about being a pessimistic cuss, but a quick look at the way the 'right to education' scenario is will bear out this comment. Article 21 of our constitution lays out that every Indian child has a right to free eduction up to the primary level. But what we have on the ground is a dysfunctional (at best) public school system and a burgeoning private school system that is beyond the reach of the children who need education the most - the children living below the poverty line.
The best way to address the issue of child labour is to adderss the issue of systemic poverty. This does not mean just education for children and legislation that keeps children out of child labour. It means making sure their parents earn enough to make sure their children stay in school and not force them to go to school. It means more schools and better curiculumm that makes sure that children finish a good education and come out with enough opportunities to find jobs or start their own enterprises. This means access to information, knowledge, know how, markets and credit - the five fingers the give a hand up to people living in poverty.
This means we have to fix our school system either through the much touted and equally maligned public school system or strengthening of the existing education system buttressed by a 'every child in school' campaign. We need to make sure that parents are committed, made responsible and are able to keep their committment to keep children in school.
Just 'tough stances' are not enough.
Defining child labour in a way that everyone agrees has always been a challenge. The closest one comes to consensus on this issue is through the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Convention No. 182 that defines worst forms of child labour. The interesting thing is that India is one for the few countries that has not ratified the convention.
The convention acknowledges that in some countries and contexts children may need to contribute economically to the family's needs, but seeks to safeguard their rights by listing the 'worst forms of child labour' that children should not be engaged in. And the ban mentioned above brings domestic labour and work in 'recreational centres' into the cover of India's Child Labour (Prohibition and Enforecement) Act 1986.
The current push in the form of a proposal sent around by Ms. Renuka Chowdary, Minister for Women and Child Development to legal experts and state governments seeks to completely ban any child below the age of 11 working. Period. According to the BBC, Ms. Chowdary said "The idea behind the proposal is to ensure the right to education and a life of dignity to every single child as enshrined in our constitution." The report does not explain how this suggestion will acheive this.
The Hindustan Times reports that the proposal also seeks to give "the government the power to notify rules to impart education to child labourer." While education is a right for every child embodied in the Indian Constitution, the mechanics of this have been stuck in the 'corridors of power' making education possible only for the children of the rich.
NGOs like World Vision and Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Child Movement) say that every child not in school is vulnerable to child labour, and hence are advocating for the immediate roll out of the 'Right to education' act. And the consensus is that these 'tough stances' are nothing but half measures. And what happens to the children who are not allowed to work as per law and cannot attend school?
Education made available free for every child is the only way to end child labour in India.
And if we look at the way education in India is going, that may never happen. Sorry about being a pessimistic cuss, but a quick look at the way the 'right to education' scenario is will bear out this comment. Article 21 of our constitution lays out that every Indian child has a right to free eduction up to the primary level. But what we have on the ground is a dysfunctional (at best) public school system and a burgeoning private school system that is beyond the reach of the children who need education the most - the children living below the poverty line.
The best way to address the issue of child labour is to adderss the issue of systemic poverty. This does not mean just education for children and legislation that keeps children out of child labour. It means making sure their parents earn enough to make sure their children stay in school and not force them to go to school. It means more schools and better curiculumm that makes sure that children finish a good education and come out with enough opportunities to find jobs or start their own enterprises. This means access to information, knowledge, know how, markets and credit - the five fingers the give a hand up to people living in poverty.
This means we have to fix our school system either through the much touted and equally maligned public school system or strengthening of the existing education system buttressed by a 'every child in school' campaign. We need to make sure that parents are committed, made responsible and are able to keep their committment to keep children in school.
Just 'tough stances' are not enough.
December 23, 2006
Media Watch: Govt. makes a meal of ICDS
Media Watch - 23 December 2006
50 p.c fiscal aid provided for children welfare:MP
“government of India provides for 50 per cent of the expenditure requirements of State governments for establishing and maintaining homes under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and up keep of children staying in these homes as per cost norms under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme “A Programme for Juvenile Justice” - Minister
Govt makes a meal of ICDS
For the entire Tenth Five Year Plan 2002-07, the government had ear-marked Rs 73.30 crore for providing supplementary nutrition under ICDS scheme. Till 2005-06 fiscal year, the government had been able to spend only 36.16% over four years.
Bill to make child marriages void gets Parliament nod
Chaudhary said every child marriage, whether solemnized before or after the commencement of this Act, would be void at the option of the contracting party.
The employers of children can be Jailed
The employer can be jailed for not less than 3 months but which may extend to one year or with fine which shall not be less than Rupees ten thousand but which may extend to Rupees Twenty thousand or both.
Two-thirds households lose 10 percent of income due to HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS also increases the work load on the elderly and girl children, said Dr. Bery. HIV households spend 400 percent more than non-HIV households on medical expenses and have a lower per-capita outlay on education
Implement Integrated Child Development Scheme: SC to Centre
Coming down heavily upon the 13 states that had failed to submit affidavits to the court in this regard, the apex court directed the Chief Secretaries of these defaulting states to personally appear before it and give reasons for not fulfilling the orders.
Govt for age cap on child labour
The Ministry for Women and Child Development has mooted a proposal to ban the employment of children below 11 years of age in any establishment.
‘Condition of kids a humanitarian emergency’
Prof Amartya Sen said: "The current state of India's children reflects the complete failure of Indian democracy on this front and this constitutes a gross violation of human rights."
50 p.c fiscal aid provided for children welfare:MP
“government of India provides for 50 per cent of the expenditure requirements of State governments for establishing and maintaining homes under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and up keep of children staying in these homes as per cost norms under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme “A Programme for Juvenile Justice” - Minister
Govt makes a meal of ICDS
For the entire Tenth Five Year Plan 2002-07, the government had ear-marked Rs 73.30 crore for providing supplementary nutrition under ICDS scheme. Till 2005-06 fiscal year, the government had been able to spend only 36.16% over four years.
Bill to make child marriages void gets Parliament nod
Chaudhary said every child marriage, whether solemnized before or after the commencement of this Act, would be void at the option of the contracting party.
The employers of children can be Jailed
The employer can be jailed for not less than 3 months but which may extend to one year or with fine which shall not be less than Rupees ten thousand but which may extend to Rupees Twenty thousand or both.
Two-thirds households lose 10 percent of income due to HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS also increases the work load on the elderly and girl children, said Dr. Bery. HIV households spend 400 percent more than non-HIV households on medical expenses and have a lower per-capita outlay on education
Implement Integrated Child Development Scheme: SC to Centre
Coming down heavily upon the 13 states that had failed to submit affidavits to the court in this regard, the apex court directed the Chief Secretaries of these defaulting states to personally appear before it and give reasons for not fulfilling the orders.
Govt for age cap on child labour
The Ministry for Women and Child Development has mooted a proposal to ban the employment of children below 11 years of age in any establishment.
‘Condition of kids a humanitarian emergency’
Prof Amartya Sen said: "The current state of India's children reflects the complete failure of Indian democracy on this front and this constitutes a gross violation of human rights."
December 16, 2006
Media Watch - India has killed 10 mln girls
Media watch - current news stories on issues of children
16 December 2006
India has killed 10 mln girls in 20 years -minister
"We have more passion for tigers of this country. We have people fighting for stray dogs on the road. But you have a whole society that ruthlessly hunts down girl children."
India's Street Kids Find New Lives as Tour Guides
If the children are lucky, they make it to the fence beyond track No. 1. That's where the jurisdiction of the police officers assigned to the train station ends. If the children are unlucky, they run into a pimp, a child trader looking for new victims -- young girls and handsome boys.
Indian government confirms sex-selection abortion crisis
"Today, we have the odd distinction of having lost 10 million girl children in the past 20 years," Chowdhury told a seminar in Delhi. "Who has killed these girl children? Their own parents."
16 December 2006
India has killed 10 mln girls in 20 years -minister
"We have more passion for tigers of this country. We have people fighting for stray dogs on the road. But you have a whole society that ruthlessly hunts down girl children."
India's Street Kids Find New Lives as Tour Guides
If the children are lucky, they make it to the fence beyond track No. 1. That's where the jurisdiction of the police officers assigned to the train station ends. If the children are unlucky, they run into a pimp, a child trader looking for new victims -- young girls and handsome boys.
Indian government confirms sex-selection abortion crisis
"Today, we have the odd distinction of having lost 10 million girl children in the past 20 years," Chowdhury told a seminar in Delhi. "Who has killed these girl children? Their own parents."
December 14, 2006
Media Watch - Street kids: Soft catch for cops, et al
Media reports on issues of children for the day: 14 December 2006
1,672 cases of child labour act violations in India
Even though the law banning child labour in India came into effect two months ago, little has changed for the minors as 1,672 violations of the legislation have been reported by 13 state governments.
India's poor children raise their hopes
It is obvious that although India has one of the largest populations of young people in the world, it is starved of educational opportunity, and its youth do not have the skills they need to get jobs in the future.
Dangerous jobs for India's army of child workers
Across the country, children stuff explosives into fireworks to be lit during religious festivals and extravagant wedding celebrations, or weave carpets, sew textiles and make everything from footballs to cricket bats to sulphur-tipped matchsticks.
Indian school throws out HIV boy
Activists say one of the major problems in India's battle against HIV/Aids is lack of awareness about the disease and stigma associated with it.
Unicef report lauds role of women in Indian villages
"Study after study has taught us that there is no tool for development more effective than gender equality, and no other policy is likely to raise economic productivity, lower infant and maternal mortality, improve nutrition and promote health, including helping to prevent the spread of HIV-AIDS,"
Street kids: Soft catch for cops
Say boys who live life on the rough streets of the Capital that police routinely beat them with lathis and don't even spare the young ones - they either lock them up on some false charge or take away whatever money these children have.
State of the world's children 2007 - report released
It is only appropriate that Indiachildwire is launched now - just a few days after the release of the 'State of the world's children - 2007' report. The launch of this report has become a very important event in the diaries of development professionals worldwide dealing with issues of children, but gets precious little play in media - especially Indian media.The report's premise is that by empowering women helps children reach their fullest potiential. “Gender equality and the well-being of children are inextricably linked,” said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman in a press release distributed around the launch of the report. “When women are empowered to lead full and productive lives, children and families prosper.”
And the report attempts to qualify 'empowerment' in terms of education, legislation that supports women, quotas for women, financial commitments towards gender equality and involving men and boys in this process. Even a quick look at this list shows that India is woefully lacking in its committment to gender equality - more girls drop out of school than boys; we are still wrangling over the women's bill; i am not sure if we can find what percentage of our GDP is spent on womens's empowerment; and men and boys are the worst perpetrators of violence against women.
Is there hope?
Well, we do have legislation that gives more option to women under the pall of domestic violence; we have legislation that envisages maximum penalty for rapists; we have more women in parliament than ever before and look at the number of women around the country who are part of self help groups (SHGs) - the ubiquitous empowerment model that is becoming (or has become) a replacement for moneylenders (that is an other story by itself). Not to mention the women CEOs of our nation.
But more needs to be done...so that we can continue building a nation that is fit for our children.
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