OVERViEW Child Welfare Policies and Programmes in India

1 Issues concerning Children OVERViEW Child Welfare Policies and Programmes in India Chinmayee Satpathy E. very Child has right rights. An advisory and Drafting to lead a decent life. Committee had been formed for the The physical, mental purpose. The regional consultations and social well being regarding drafting of working paper of a Child depends on Policy of Children had been held upon the family to which she/ across the country with concerned he belongs. In the process of Ministries and Departments from socialisation during childhood the States and Union Territories, civil family and school are two important society organisations, government institutions which play significant and non government organisations, role for integrated development of academicians and experts etc.

2 The Child . According to the United Keeping in view Nations Convention on the Rights Thrust Areas of the Policy of Child , Child means a person male Reducing Infant Mortality the problems and =. or female who is below 18 years Rate. of age. While casting glance over challenges faced by Indian situation, it is found that, = Reducing Maternal Mortality Rate children, laws have around 440 million are children which constitute around 40 percent = Reducing Malnutrition among children been introduced and of country's population. India has high rate of neo-natal deaths which = Achieving 100 percent civil various Policies and is around 35 percent in the world.

3 Registration of births Around 50 percent of Child mortality = Universalisation of early Programmes are occurs in the country. Keeping in childhood care and development view the problems and challenges and quality education for all being implemented faced by the Indian children, laws children;. have been introduced and various for the Welfare of Policies and Programmes are being = Achieving 100 percent access and retention in schools children in India implemented for the Welfare of children in India . including pre-schools;. = Complete abolition of female The National Policy for foeticide, female infanticide Children, 1974 was adopted on 22nd and Child marriage and ensuring August 1974 in order to address the the survival, development and emerging challenges relating to Child protection of the girl Child .

4 The author is Post-Doctoral Fellow, ICSSR, New Delhi. YOJANA November 2012 23. = Improving water and sanitation and that the childhood and youth prohibits determination of sex coverage both in rural and urban are protected against exploitation of foetus and killing of female areas. and against moral and material Child in the mother's womb not = Securing for children all legal abandonment. only by the medical practitioners, and social protection from all gynaecologists or paediatricians Article-45 The State shall but also by any genetic laboratory, kinds of abuse, exploitation and endeavour to provide early neglect.

5 Counseling centre or clinic. The Act childhood care and education for also bans the advertisement using = Complete abolition of Child all children until they complete the labour with the aim of pre-natal diagnostic technique age of six years. for sex determination. Section-5. progressively eliminating all forms of economic exploitation Article-243 G Provides for of the Act state that the pre-natal of children. institutionalisation of Child care diagnostic procedure can be by seeking to entrust Programmes conducted only with the consent = Monitoring, review and Reform of the pregnant woman and a copy of Policies , Programmes and of women and Child development to Panchayat (item 25 of Schedule of written consent is given to her.)

6 Laws to ensure protection of children's interest and rights. 11) The Immoral Trafficking = Ensuring Child participation and Legislations related to Children (Prevention) Act (ITPA), 1956. choice in matters and decision prohibits commercial sexual affecting their lives. The Hindu Adoptions and exploitation and all cases relating Maintenance Act, 1956 codifies to prostitution registered under the January 24th has been declared laws for adoption and maintenance Act. This Act defines a minor as a as the National Girl Child Day by of both boys and girls and declares person between 16 to 18 years of the Ministry of Women and Child that the sons and daughters are age.

7 The Act also says that if any Development, since 2009. treated equally in the matter of person over the age of 18 years succession. The Act confers that knowingly lives wholly or in part Constitutional Safeguards for a woman could adopt for herself on the earning of the prostitution of Indian Children in her own right. Adoption of any other person shall be punishable Article-15 & 15(1) The State female Child was not permissible with imprisonment up to 2 years or shall prohibit discrimination against prior to passing of this Act and with fine up to Rs1000 or both, any citizen on the grounds of any oral or documentary evidence or where such earnings relate to religion, race, caste, sex.

8 Nothing in would be of no use, when adoptee the prostitution of a Child or a this article prevents the State from failed to prove any family custom minor, shall be punishable with making any special provision for prevailing in family for adopting imprisonment for 7-10 years. The women and children. a female Child . Section 15 of the Act prohibits the activities relating Act says that the adoptive father to prostitution in a public place or Article -21 A : The State shall or mother or any other person nor within 200 metres from a public provide free and compulsory can the adopted Child renounce his place.

9 Education to all children of the age or her status as such and return to 6- 14years in such manner as the The Child Labour (Prohibition his family of his or her birth. The State may, by law determine. and Regulation) Act,1986 prohibits validity of adoption cannot be Article-24: No Child below the adjudicated in a writ petition. the engagement of children in age of 14years shall be employed certain employments and regulates The Pre-Conception and Pre- the conditions of work of children to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act- in certain other employments.

10 Employment. 1994 regulates the use of pre-natal Section-5 of the Act makes provision sex determination techniques. for setting up of the Child Labour Article-39(f): enjoins the State Though it permits the use of pre- Technical advisory Committee by to ensure that children are given natal sex determination techniques the Central Government and the opportunities and facilities to for detecting chromosomal or Committee is authorised to give develop in a healthy manner and in sex linked disorders only by the advice to the Central Government conditions of freedom and dignity registered institutions but strictly in the matter relating to Child labour 24 YOJANA November 2012.