Mr. Chairperson,

 

 

We thank the Secretary General and his Special Representatives for presenting various reports under this agenda item. 

 

 

2. The reports provide a useful snapshot of the measures undertaken by various governments to promote the rights of children and the challenges still being faced in this regard. 

 

 

3. In a world riven by poverty, stark inequalities and underdevelopment, disparities in living standards and opportunity, situations of armed conflict, terrorism and other humanitarian crises, children are among the most vulnerable and suffer the most. 

 

 

4. Besides the chronic challenges of poverty and malnutrition; lack of healthcare and education; limited opportunities for skills development and social and economic mobility; children across regions are being forced to flee from conflict and atrocities into uncertain future. Societies, even the affluent ones, have their own serious concerns. Unregulated access to cyberspace and manipulation of social media, sexual exploitation and trafficking, forced child labour are among the other situations of concern.  

 

 

5. Today's children are tomorrow's adult citizens. Improving the lives of children and providing them with healthy and happy life, education and skills for workplace of tomorrow will improve the future of societies. 

 

 

Mr. Chairperson,

 

 

6. Demographically India is a 'young' country. Children comprise more than one third of our billion-strong population. As the home to the largest number of children in the world, the government realizes the scale of task at hand in terms of making available basic amenities, healthcare, nutrition and quality education to secure our future. 

 

 

7. The Constitution of India guarantees fundamental rights to all children in the country and empowers the State to make special provisions for children. Elementary education is a fundamental right in India. 

 

 

 

8. Among the policy framework, the National Charter for Children of 2003 underlines the commitment to secure the inherent right to enjoy a healthy and safe childhood and empowerment of adolescents. The National Policy for Children of 2013 affirms commitment to a rights-based approach to development of children.

 

 

9. Maternal health is an important component of early childhood care. The Universal Immunization Programme and the Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS targeting pregnant women and newborns in India are important steps in preventive healthcare. 

 

 

10. While India has implemented large-scale universal immunization programmes such as those against polio, a recent innovation is the utilization of digital technology and smartphones to generate real-time information of the availability of vaccines through projects such as electronic vaccination information network 'e-VIN.' 

 

 

11. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is proving to be very effective at the grass root level and providing services to about 10 million beneficiaries in the country through 1.3 million Anganwadi (Community) Centres, for providing nutrition, education, health and immunization services for the vulnerable age of 0 to 6 years. The Mid Day meal scheme with over 100 million children as beneficieries, has helped in preventing classroom hunger; promoting school participation and fostering social equality and enhancing gender equity thereby facilitating overall healthy growth of children.

 

 

12. A major initiative is focused on the rights of the girl child through the flagship scheme Protect the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child ('Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao').  

 

 

13. The National Adolescent Health Programme (Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram) focuses on nutrition, protection of adolescents against injuries and violence including gender based violence, non-communicable diseases, mental health and substance abuse through community and peer group based interventions. 

 

 

Mr. Chairperson,

 

 

14. The Indian government continues to push for the complete eradication of child labour. India has recently ratified two core International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions 138 and 182 on Child Labour to fight against the menace and achieve the objective of child labour-free nation. The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 and Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Rules of 2017 strike a balance between prohibition of employment of children below 14 years and livelihood security for economically disadvantaged sections through the provision for children to assist in family enterprises beyond school hours and employment of adolescents in non-hazardous occupations.

 

 

15. Policy and legal framework to deal with emerging threats such as online offences against children, including child pornography and grooming are also under finalisation in India.

 

 

Mr. Chairperson, 

 

 

16. Protection and promotion of rights of child to live a life as a child with care and dignity within the family and to enjoy equitable opportunities remain a work in progress globally. Partial collective gains are being undermined by new challenges. 

 

 

17. A sustained and collective effort continues to be required to address the many challenges facing children world-wide.

 

 

I thank you.