By Ranjan K Baruah
Most of us have seen children on roads which may differ from place to place but the fact is that we still see children out of schools in our country. It is not only in one or two nations but there are many countries where children are not able to get their rights like education apart from others. When kids are not in school means they are either working somewhere or engaged in activities which may not be positive for them.
The number of children in child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide — an increase of 8.4 million children in the last four years and the agriculture sector accounts for 70% of children in child labour, followed by 20% in services and 10% in industry. There are many issues affecting children like child abuse, trafficking, child marriages, child labour, child health, addiction, etc. We are aware that 12th June is observed around the world as World day against Child Labour.
All children have rights to get education and other rights like any other citizen. In spite of having children’s rights many are deprived of those rights. One of the worst forms of violation of child rights is none other than child labour. The other issues related to children are equally crucial and it is important to address all these issues to bring solutions. Can we think of our career working with children or their rights? Yes, this is possible and we can make our careers in the field of child rights or children’s welfare.
There are many courses which enable one to be in this field but one must be passionate when it comes to work with children from different backgrounds. Whenever we talk about rights, we must work with economically challenged people or people living in difficult situations. One may choose to study Social Work or similar course of humanities and later do some specialization with children issues. Certificate Course in Child Protection, Certificate /Diploma Course in Child and Adolescent Counselling, Online Course in Child Protection, Post Graduate Diploma in Child Rights law, Certificate Course on Child Rights and Child Protection, Post Graduate Diploma in Child Rights and Governance, etc. Like rights issues there are other courses on health rights, nutrition, etc. There are many online courses available from different universities which can be completed digitally.
Organizations like the United Nations Children’s Fund or popularly known as UNICEF are focused in areas of child rights. There are government departments related to child welfare or child development apart from social welfare. There are posts in government like Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) and government services like Integrated Child Development Services popularly known as ICDS. We have heard of 1098 or Child Line which is working on issues related to child rights and welfare. There are different job opportunities in these organizations. If someone wants to work abroad then s/he may learn foreign languages like French or Spanish.
Many other skills and attributes are required to be successful in the field of child rights like effective communication, patience, hard work, capacity to work in different situations, cope up with situations, etc. One should love travelling and visiting remote areas and challenging areas when ever needed. There are challenges as well opportunities in this field as there are many children out of schools and engaged in other activities. Being in this field we can ensure the rights of all children and give them a bright future.
(The author is a career mentor and skill trainer and can be reached at 8473943734 or [email protected] for any career related queries)