Protecting children from or against any supposed or real danger or risk to their life, their identity and/or childhood is broadly termed as Child Protection. In the current context, wherein child protection policy in India is concerned, some children are more vulnerable owing to countless reasons. It, therefore, becomes imperative that the nation guarantees its protection at all costs.
Did you know that the Constitution of India guarantees children equal rights as citizens before the law? Yes! It also mandates all the state governments to establish and enact laws that specifically promote the rights and well-being of children. They are also held responsible for structuring child protection policies that maintain a safe and secure environment for all children along with numerous prospects for development, as well as prevention and protection from all forms of brutality. It is also their duty to provide all the children within the state with the right to survive, to be protected from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, to be allowed development rights and participation in decisions that influence them according to their age and level of maturity. Apart from the state’s duty to enforce laws pertaining to child protection policies, it is the duty of every responsible citizen dealing with children to primarily comprehend and then work towards sensitizing the community on various child protection issues.
Complementing the child protection policies, Save the Children introduced the Standard Operating Procedure for Care and Protection of Children in Street Situations in collaboration with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which aimed to restore and rehabilitate street children. The activities included making Aadhaar cards for the children, health insurance, bank accounts along with financial sponsorship for families to meet any medical and nutritional necessities of a child. Over 50,000 children from the streets in Delhi have their Aadhaar card registered on a pilot basis!
Save the Children has effectively created various Children Groups, bringing together vulnerable children to collectively combat several issues that challenge their existence like child marriage, trafficking, abuse, and labour. This NGO has provided access to education to several child labourers, street children, and other underprivileged children.
Save the Children has been on the frontline providing downtrodden children with an opportunity to redeem their lives through education, nutrition, protection, and provision of necessities in dire situations. They have played a key role in rescuing numerous children from abuse, abandonment, mistreatment, corporeal danger, and violence.
Would you want to participate in protecting these vulnerable children?
Want to read about how to protect the girl child, visit - Stop child abuse
