Federation of World Peace and Love

Rights of the Children of the World

Ronodeb Ghosh

Private Secretary to Founder Manager City Montessori School (CMS)

India

The Present Scenario

For the past so many years children have been victims of abuse & exploitation. Children usually suffer from hunger, shelter and work in unhygienic conditions. The mortality rate of children is also very high, particularly in the developing countries. Children are deprived of health facilities, basic education, proper living conditions and safe environment.

Around 10 million children under the age of five die every year - more than 1000 every hour. Almost all of these children could survive and thrive with access to simple, affordable interventions. The loss of a child is a tragedy - families suffer and human potential is wasted. World Health Organisation is improving child health by helping countries to deliver integrated, effective care starting with a healthy pregnancy for the mother, through birth and care up to five years of age. Investing in health systems is key to delivering this essential care.

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF CHILD OF THE WORLD

· The right to Education

· The right to Expression

· The right to Information

· The right to Nutrition

· The right to Health & Care

· The right to protection from Abuse

· The right to protection from Exploitation

· The right to protection from Neglect

· The right to Development

· The right to Recreation

· The right to Name & Nationality

· The right to Survival

· To be provided with a safe and stable living environment

· To be placed in care that best meets the child's needs and is most culturally appropriate

· Complete prohibition on all forms of child labour across

· To be consulted about, and to take part in making, decisions affecting the child's life (having regard to the child's age or ability to understand), particularly decisions about where the child is living, contact with the child's family and the child's health and schooling

· To have access to dental, medical and therapeutic services, necessary to meet the child's needs

· To have access to education appropriate to the child's age and development

1.     THERE ARE 2.4 BILLION CHILDREN UNDER 18 IN THE WORLD

80 million of these children live in Somalia and the USA, the two countries, which have not agreed to honour the rights of the child. All other countries have promised to uphold the rights of the child.

 

2.     RIGHT OF THE REGISTRATION OF NAME AND NATIONALITY

From the day a child is born he/she has the right to have a name and to be registered as a citizen of his/her home country. Every year, 136 million children are born and around round 48 million of these children are never registered. There is no documented proof that they even exist!

 

3.     RIGHT OF CHILD IS TO HAVE HOME, CLOTHING, FOOD AND SECURITY

A child has the right to a home, food, clothing, education, health Care and security. More than half of the world's population of children live in object poverty. Around 700 million children have less than 1.25 US dollars (0.80 UK pounds) a day to live on. An additional 500 million live on less than 2 US dollars a day.

 

4.     A CHILD HAS A RIGHT TO LIFE

A child has the right to life. Every country that has promised to respect the rights of the child, must do all it can to allow children to survive and develop. 1 in 14 children (1 in 7 in the poorest countries) dies before reaching the age of 5, usually due to the causes that could have been prevented if taken care.

 

5.     RIGHT OF THE CHILD FOR HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE

Children have the right to food, clean water and medical care. Every day 2,500 children under the age 5 die (9.2 million a year) of diseases Caused by lack of food, clean water, hygiene and health care. Vaccinations against the most common childhood illnesses help save 3 million lives a year. But 1 in 5 children is never vaccinated. Every year, 1.4 million children die of diseases that can be prevented by vaccination. 6 out of 10 children in the 50. Poorest countries do not have access to clean water. Every year 1 million people die of malaria most of them children. Only 1 in 3 of these children are treated for malaria and only 1 in 4 children in malarial countries sleep under a mosquito net.

 

6.     RIGHT OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Any child who has a disability, has the same rights as everyone else. They have a right to receive support, so that they can play an active role in the society. Children with disabilities are among the most vulnerable in the world. In many countries they are not even allowed to go to school. Many children are treated like inferior beings and are kept hidden away. There are 110 million children with disabilities in the world.

 

7.     RIGHT OF A CHILD FOR SAFE ENVIRONMENT

Children have the right to live in a safe environment. All children have the right to education, medical care and a decent standard of living. For 60 million children, the streets are their only home. An additional 90 million work and spend the day on the streets, but return home to their families in the evening.

 

8.     RIGHT OF A CHILD TO BE PROTECTED FROM CHILD LABOUR

A child has the right to be protected from economic exploitation and work that is hazardous to their health or that prevents them from going to school. All work is prohibited for children under the age of 12. Around 240 million children between the age of 5 and 14 work, and for 3 out of 4 of them, this work is harmful for their safety or health. Some 8 million children are forced into the worst forms of child labour, as debt slaves, child soldiers or prostitutes. Every year, 1.2 million children are 'trafficked' in the modern day slave trade.

 

9.     RIGHT OF A CHILD AGAINT PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE

Children have the right to protection from all forms of violence, neglect, maltreatment and abuse. Every year 40 million children are beaten so badly that they need medical care. 23 countries have forbidden all forms of corporal punishment for children, so only 3 out of 100 children are fully protected from violence by law. Many countries still allow corporal punishment in school.

 

10.   RIGHT OF THE CHILD FROM PROTECTION OF CHILD FROM IMPRISONMEDNT & PENALTY CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

Children may only be imprisoned, as a last resort and for the shortest possible time. No child may be subjected to torture or other cruel treatment. Children who have committed crimes should be given care and help. Children may not be sentenced to life imprisonment or receive the death penalty. At least 1 million children are being held in prison. Imprisoned children are often treated badly.

 

11.   RIGHT OF THE CHILD FROM PROTECTION OF A CHILD IN WAR AND FLIGHT

A child has the right to protection and care in times of war, or if you are a refugee. Children affected by conflict and refugee children have the same rights as other children. Over the last 15 years, at least 2 million children have been killed in war. 6 million have suffered serious physical injuries. 10 million have suffered serious psychological harm. 1 million have lost or become separated from their parents. 300,000 children have been used as soldiers, carriers or mine clearers (2500 children are killed or injured by mines every year). At least 25 million children have had to flee their homes or countries just because of war.

 

12.   RIGHT OF MINORITY CHILDREN OF THE WORLD

Children who belong to minority groups or indigenous people have the right to their language, culture and religion. Examples of indigenous people include Native Americans, Aborigines in Australia and the Sami people of Northern Europe. The rights of indigenous and minority children are often violated. Their languages are not respected and they are bullied or discriminated. Many children do not have access to medical care.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) of India was set up in March 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, an Act of Parliament (December 2005). The Commission's Mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Child is defined as a person in the 0 to 18 years age group.

The Commission visualises a rights-based perspective flowing into National Policies and Programmes, along with nuanced responses at the State, District and Block levels, taking care of specificities and strengths of each region. In order to touch every child, it seeks a deeper penetration to communities and households and expects that the ground experiences inform the support the field receives from all the authorities at the higher level. Thus the Commission sees an indispensable role for the State, sound institution-building processes, respect for decentralization at the level of the local bodies at the community level and larger societal concern for children and their well-being.

It is our duty as adults to provide a safe and secure environment for the worlds 2.4 billion children and generations yet to be born in world's 200 plus countries. We adults should ensure that the rights of all children irrespective of their gender, religion, caste are protected. We should inquire into cases of violations of child rights and recommend action against violators of child rights and examine factors those inhibit enjoyment of child rights and recommend appropriate remedial measures.

Let us unite to make a safer and better world for the children, so as they have such an environment that they can live peacefully & safely.