Children constitute principle assets of any country.
Children’s development is very important for the overall development
of society and the best way to develop national human resources is to take
care of children. India has the largest
child population in the world. All
out efforts are being made by the Government for the development and welfare
of children. A number of policy initiatives have been taken for this purpose.
Policy Initiatives
The National
Policy for children lays down that the State shall provide adequate services
towards children, both before and after birth and during the growing stages
for their full physical, mental and social development. The measures suggested include amongst others, a comprehensive health
programme, supplementary nutrition for mothers and children, free and compulsory
education for all children up to the age of 14 years, promotion of physical
education and recreational activities, special consideration for children
of weaker sections including SCs and STs and prevention of exploitation of
children, etc.
The Government of India has also adopted
the National Charter for Children,
which has been prepared after obtaining the views/comments and suggestions
of the State governments/UT Administrations, concerned Ministries and Departments
and experts in the field. The National
Charter is a statement of intent embodying the Government’s agenda for children.
The document emphasizes Government of India’s commitment to children’s
rights to survival, health and nutrition, standard of living, play and leisure,
early childhood care, education, protection or the girl child, empowering
adolescents, equality, life and liberty, name and nationality, freedom of
expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, the right to a family
and the right to be protected from economic exploitation and all forms of
abuse. The document also provides for protection of
children in difficult circumstances, children with disabilities, children
from marginalized and disadvantaged communities, and child victims. The document while stipulating the duties of
the State and the Community towards children also emphasizes the duties of
children towards family, society and the Nation. The National Charter for Children was notified in the Gazette of
India on 9th February, 2004.
India has also acceded to the UN Convention
on the Rights of the Child to reiterate its commitment to the cause of children.
The objective of the Convention is to give every child the right to
survival and development in a healthy and congenial environment.
India is also party to the Millennium Development
Goals and the SAARC Conventions on Child Welfare and Combating Trafficking
of Women and Children is SAARC Region.
Ministry of Women and Child Development has
prepared a National Plan of Action
for Children 2005 after harmonizing the goals for children set in the
UN General Assembly Special Session on Children held in 2002 and the monitorable
targets set in the Tenth Five Year Plan and goals for children in related
Ministries/ Departments. The Action
Plan has been prepared in consultation with concerned Ministries and Departments,
States/UT Governments, non-Governmental organizations and experts.
The National Plan of Action includes goals, objectives, strategies
and activities for improving nutritional status of children, reducing IMR
and MMR, increasing enrolment ratio and reducing drop out rates, universalisation
of primary education, increasing coverage for immunization etc.
Child welfare programmes
Several Ministries and Departments of the
government of India are implementing various schemes and programmes for the
benefit of children. Some of the Schemes
and programmes are as under:
Integrated
Child Development Services (ICDS) being implemented by Ministry of Women
and Child Development is the world’s largest programme aimed at enhancing
the health, nutrition and learning opportunities of infants, young children
(O-6 years) and their mothers. It
is the foremost symbol of India’s commitment to its children – India’s response
to the challenge of providing pre school education on one hand and breaking
the vicious cycle of malnutrition, mortality and morbidity o the other.
The Scheme provides an integrated approach
for converging basic services through community based workers and helpers. The services are provided at a centre called
the ‘Anganwadi’, which literally means a courtyard play centre, a childcare
centre located within the village itself.
The package of services provided are:
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Supplementary nutrition,
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Immunization,
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Health check-up
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Referral services,
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Pre-school non-formal education and
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Nutrition and health education
It is a centrally
sponsored scheme implemented through the State Governments with 100% financial
assistance from the Central Government for all inputs other than supplementary
nutrition which the States were to provide from their own resources. However, from the year 2005-06, the Government
of India has decided to provide Central assistance to States for supplementary
nutrition also to the extent of 50% of the actual expenditure incurred by
States or 50% of the cost norms, whichever is less.
Creche Scheme for the children of working mothers
The Ministry of Women and Child Development
has launched a new Creche Scheme in January 2006. The Scheme has been named as Rajiv Gandhi National
Creche Scheme for the Children of working Mothers. These creches have been allocated to the Central Social Welfare
Board, Indian Council for Child Welfare and Bhartiya Adim Jati Sevak Sangh
in the ration of 80:11:9. The priority
has been given to uncovered districts/areas and tribal areas while extending
the scheme to maintain balance regional coverage.
Eligibility criteria under the Revised Scheme has also been enhanced
from Rs. 1800/- to Rs. 12000/- per month per family.
Nutrition component of Prime Minister Gramodya Yojana
and Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls being implemented in 51 districts
with additional central assistance provided by the Planning commission, directly
and indirectly contribute to promoting nutrition of children.
A National Nutrition Mission has also been set up with a view to enable
policy direction to concerned Departments of the Government for addressing
the problem of malnutrition in a mission mode.
Reproductive and Child Health Programme
Being implemented by the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare, the programme provides effective maternal and child
health care, micronutrient interventions for vulnerable groups, reproductive
health services for adolescent etc. Some
important programmes cover
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immunization for children for DTP, Polio and Tetanus Toxoid
for women
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Vitamin A administration
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Iron and folic Acid for pregnant women.
This programme
integrates all family welfare and women and child health services with the
explicit objective of providing beneficiaries with ‘need based, client centered,
demand driven, and high quality integrated RCH services’. The strategy for the RCH programme shifts the
policy emphasis from achieving demographic targets to meeting the health needs
of women and children.
Pulse Polio Immunization Programme being implemented
by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare covers all children blow five
years. It is a massive programme covers
166 million children in every round of National Immunization Day. The other immunization programmes include Hepatitis
B, DPT and other routine immunization.
Other notable programmes for child health
include, Universal immunization programme, control of deaths due to acute
respiratory infections, control of diarrhoeal diseases, provision of essential
new-born care to address the issue of the neonates, prophylactic programmes
for the prevention and treatment of two micronutrient deficiencies relating
to Vitamin A and iron, Anemia control programme, Border District Cluster Strategy
and Integrated Management of Neo-natal and childhood illness.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan being implemented
by the Department of Education provides for school infrastructure and quality
improvement in education of the children. The specific objectives are,
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All children to be in school
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Universal retention by 2010
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Bridging all gender and social gaps at primary stage by 2007
and at elementary education level by 2010.
The Government
of India is committed to realizing the goal of universalization of elementary
education by 2010. Under Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA), the National flagship programme, the Government aims to provide
free and compulsory elementary education to all children in the 6-14 age group
by 2010.
A National Programme for education of girls at elementary
level is also being implemented by the Department of Education
for children in difficult circumstances including drop out girls, working
girls, girls from marginalized social groups, girls with low levels of achievement
to gain quality elementary education and to develop self esteem of girls through
a community based approach.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya is a new
scheme being implemented by the Department of Educaiton, which enables opening
of 750 specialresidential schools for the girl child belonging to SC/ST, other
backward classes and minority in educationally backward blocks having low
female literacy.
Mid-day meal Scheme is also one
of the important schemes of the Government to aim universal enrollment and
retention of children. Under the programmed nutrition snacks are provided
to children attending schools.
Integrated programme for Street Children
The programme is being implemented by the
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
This programme aims at preventing destitution of children and facilitate
their withdrawal from life on the streets.
The programme is targeted towards children without homes and family
ties, especially vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
Integrated Programme for Juvenile Justice
The programme is being implemented by the
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment with a view to providing carte
to children in difficult circumstances and children in conflict with the law
through Government institutions and through NGOs. Some special features of the scheme areas:
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Establishment of a National Advisory Board on Juvenile Justice.
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Creation of a Juvenile Justice Fund.
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Training, orientation and sensitization of judicial, administrative
police and NGOs responsible for implementation of JJ Act.
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Institutional are shall be used but only as a last measure
by enlarging the range of suitable alternatives.
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Financial assistance to bring about a qualitative improvement
in the existing infrastructure.
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Expansion of non-institutional services such as sponsorship,
foster care, probation etc. as and an alternate to institutional care.
Child helpline childhelpline is a toll free telephone
service (1098) which anyone can call for assistance in the interest of children.
Being run with the support of Women and child welfare Ministry is working
in 72 cities across the country. The
Shishu Greh Scheme is also being
implemented by the ministry to promote adoptions within the country and to
ensure minimum standards in the care of abandoned/orphaned/destitute children.
Grant-in-Aid upto a ceiling of Rs. 6 lakh is provided per unit of 10
children in a Shishu Greh.
The National Rural Health Mission, a scheme
of health Ministry seeks to provide
effective healthcare to rural population including large population of children
throughout the country with special focus on 18 States, which have weak public
health indicators and/or raise public spending on health from 0.9% of GDP
to 2-3% of GDP. It aims to undertake
architectural correction of the health system to enable it to effectively
handle increased allocations as promised under the National Common Minimum
Programme and promote policies that strengthen public health management and
service delivery in the country.
Elimination of Child Labour is being
implemented by the Ministry of Labour which sanctions projects for rehabilitation
of working children and for elimination of child labour. Under the project based Action Plan of the
Policy, National Child Labour Projects (NCLPs) have been set up in different
areas to rehabilitate child labour. A
major activity undertaken under the NCLP is the establishment of special schools
to provide non-formal education, vocational training, supplementary nutrition
etc. to children withdrawn from employment. 150 Child Labour Projects have so far been sanctioned for rehabilitating
children in the most endemic areas and 1.5 lakh children have already been
mainstreamed in the special schools.
Prevention of Offences against Children
After wide consultations a draft Bill
for offences Against Children has been prepared and circulated to the State
Governments for their comments and views. After obtaining the comments of the State governments and concerned
Ministries and Departments a draft has bee prepared and circulated to the
concerned Ministries and Departments for their comments and use.
Child Budgeting
The Government is also actively considering
introducing child budgeting. The key
objectives of the endeavor would be analyze budgetary provisions on social
sector, to identify the magnitude of budgetary allocations made by the Centre/State
Governments on schemes meant for addressing specific needs of children, to
examine the trend in child specific expenditure etc. the main agenda for the exercise of child budgeting
is to review resource allocations related to children; explore ways to increase
budgetary allocations for children; assess budget utilization rates for social
sector and child specific programmes, identify blockages and constraints to
effective utilization; identify methods for tracking expenditure and monitoring
performance to ensure that outlays translate into outcomes for children.
Pilot projects for combating trafficking of women and children
Three pilot projects are being implemented
viz i) to combat trafficking women and children for commercial sexual exploitation
under the sanction of tradition ii) pilot project to combat trafficking of
women and children for commercial, sexual exploitation in source areas and
iii) pilot project to combat trafficking of women and children for commercial
sexual exploitation in destination areas. So far 30 projects have been sanctioned benefiting about 1500 women
and girls.
Beside above
said programmes and policy initiatives, a number of constitutional provisions
have already made to ensure protection of dignity, rights and welfare of children. These include following :
Constitutional Provisions
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Article 14 provides that the State shall not deny to any person
equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory
of India.
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Article 15(3) provides that, “nothing in this article shall
prevent the State for making any special provision for women and children”.
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Article 21 provides that no person shall be deprived of his
life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.
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Article 21A directs the State shall provide free and compulsory
education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner
as the State may by law, determine.
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Article 23 prohibits trafficking of human beings and forced
labour.
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Article 24 prohibits employment of children below the age of
fourteen years in factories, mines or any other hazardous occupation.
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Article 25-28 provides freedom of conscience, and free profession,
practice and propagation of religion.
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Article 39(e) and (f) provide that the State shall, in particular,
direct its policy towards securing to ensure that the health and strength
of workers, men and women and the tender age of children are not abused and
that the citizens are not forced by economic necessity to enter avocations
unsuited to their age or strength and that the children are given opportunities
and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom
and dignity and that the childhood and youth are protected against exploitation
and against moral and material abandonment.
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Article 45 envisages that the State shall endeavor to provide
early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the
age of six years.
NCJ/DT
(Release ID :23966)