Child rights and their protection : "EMPOWER IAS"

In news:

• The Union Minister of Women and Child Development has given important information regarding the protection of child beggars in India under various acts and ministries.

 

Child rights:

• Child Rights are minimum entitlements and freedoms that should be afforded to all persons below the age of 18.
  • Right to Survival: Right to survival is inclusive of the child rights to be born, right to minimum standards of food, shelter and clothing, and the right to live with dignity.
  • Right to Protection: Right to be protected from neglect, exploitation and abuse at home, and elsewhere.
  • Right to Participation: Right to participate in any decision making that involves him/her directly or indirectly.
  • Right to Development: Right to all forms of

 

Current Status of Child Rights in India

• Mortality (As per the SDG 3.2): By 2030, all countries will aim to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.
• Sex Ratio: The SRS report (2016) suggests that despite best efforts, the sex ratio at birth is still declining in India.
• Severe Malnutrition (As per the SDG 2.2 goals )By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under-5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons.
• WASH:  UNICEF data (2016) suggests that in India, 22% of the total post neonatal deaths and 9% of under-5 deaths are due to diarrhoea, which is completely preventable
• Sexual and Reproductive Health (As per the SDG 3.7): By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including, for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.
• Access to Quality and Holistic Education( SDG 4.1): By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
• SDG 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
• Access to Quality and Holistic Skill Building SDG 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university education.
• Access to Play and Recreation: There is very limited information available on access to play and recreation by children as no major surveys (Census, NFHS, etc.,) report on this indicator.

 

Protection of Child Beggars

(A) JJ Act, 2015

• The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act) is the primary law for children in the country.
• The Section 2 (14) (ii) of the Act, 2015, considers a child being in force or is found begging, or living on the street as a “child in need of care and protection”.
• As per Section 76 of JJ Act, whoever employs or uses any child for the purpose of begging or causes any child to beg shall be punishable with imprisonment.
• The Act provides a security net of service delivery structures along with measures for institutional and non-institutional care, to ensure the comprehensive well being of children in distress situations.
• The primary responsibility of execution of the Act rests with the States/UTs.

 

(B) Child Protection Services (CPS)

• The Ministry implements a centrally sponsored scheme CPS under the umbrella Integrated Child Development Services scheme.
• It supports the children in difficult circumstances including child beggars and destitute children.
• Under the scheme, institutional care is provided through Child Care Institutions (CCIs), as a rehabilitative measure.
• The programmes and activities in CCIs inter-alia include age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc.
• The scheme supports 24×7 emergency outreach/ helpline service for children in distress conditions.
• The service is accessible through a dedicated toll-free number, 1098 from anywhere in India.

 

(C) Rehabilitation measures

• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has undertaken a pilot project for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons engaged in the act of begging.
• It is currently held in ten (10) cities; namely Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmadabad, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Lucknow, Patna, Nagpur and Indore.
• The initiative aims for identification, rehabilitation, counselling, skill development of beggars.
• It includes education of children engaged in begging/children of persons engaged in the begging