When the international community adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child 25 years ago, it was a commitment made to the world’s children: that the state would do everything in its power to promote and protect their rights. The commitment was not only to some children, but to all children. It was not only to advance some of their rights, but all their rights – including their right to survive and to thrive, to grow and to learn, to have their voices heard and heeded, and to be protected from discrimination and violence in all its manifestations.
It was a commitment to be honoured not only in times of peace and prosperity, but also, and especially, in times of conflict, crisis, and catastrophe. The commitment to realize the rights of all children was grounded in the conviction that it was both the right thing to do and also the strategic thing to do for by advancing the rights of children today, we help them become adults who will be able to assume responsibility for future generations – in turn, helping build a more prosperous, peaceful, and just world.
Last year the Nobel Prizes were shared by two visionary and pragmatic individuals – Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi. The former was a champion for the right to education of the girl child and survived a vicious attack on her. The latter has worked to reinstate those children who were engaged as labourers. As a country, India is a signatory to several international conventions and the Protection of Child Rights is just one of them. However, action on the ground is far from satisfactory. There are still several million children engaged in hazardous activities such as coal mining in Meghalaya, manufacture of fireworks and such other industries. The right to free and compulsory education up to the age of 14 years remains unmet and many children continue to remain out of school due to sheer poverty.
It is unfortunate that Children’s Day is celebrated year after year only within educational institutions. The street children or those who are forced to work to earn their daily bread remain forgotten. But even if some kind soul gives them a free lunch on such a day it becomes just tokenism. As a state, Meghalaya is yet to improve its performance on the reduction of child abuse and the rape of minors. Cases that are registered against the rapists and abusers take a very lengthy legal route. This is justice denied. The State Child Rights Protection Council is yet to show tangible results. Too often the action taken is diffused if not invisible. It is important for child rights groups to remain vigilant and to ensure that the Council delivers on its mandate.