November 14 — a moment of joy, reflection, and celebration across schools and universities, but it did not compel us to consider the innocence, dreams, and potential of every young citizen, to rethink our priorities about the hope and future of our nation.
Yet, as revert back to reality on November 15, the pressing question is: Are we doing enough?
While, the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and other legislations promise a bright future for minors like me, the sober reality is that the 480 million Indian children according to the National Institutes of Health stand at a crossroads: In our country we face daily threats to their safety, well-being, and fundamental rights due to gaps in policies, societal norms, and collective efforts shape the childhoods of this significant demographic.
In short, it's the failure to translate the intangible into the tangible which requires more than policy — it demands action, accountability, and awareness.
The BIG 3: Still a work in progress
Child marriage, child labour and juvenile justice form the three-tiered pillar of a child-insecure India.
Child marriages are prevalent in India — approximately one in 10 marriages in the country involve a child, with a 2016 UNICEF report estimating the child marriage rate at 27%.
While child marriage rates have fallen by 48%, we have a long way to go before we can secure unassailable and consensual marital unions, stopping its practice for non-consenting children. I cannot help but consider that child marriages are the preliminary stepping stones for paedophilia and martial rape.
India has the highest number of labourers in the world under 14 years of age. Our agrarian economy, leaves millions of minors victims of child labour engaged in domestic backgrounds, jeopardising their education; thereby perpetuating vicious cycles of generational poverty.
In the urban contexts, we fall victim to casual and informal sector wage jobs or work in hazardous factory conditions and become prey to sexual violence.
Law enforcement, judicial systems, and community programs need to work in tandem, focusing on prevention, swift justice, and rehabilitation for victims.
Juvenile justice in India is marked by challenges, while frameworks are designed to protect and rehabilitate young offenders.
Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 failed to provide a comprehensive approach to juvenile justice, focusing on punitive measures rather than rehabilitation and reintegration, further stimulating hindrances to enforcement due to inadequate infrastructure, insufficient training, a lack of awareness, overcrowded juvenile homes and legal delays.
Duo-catalysts of Vikshit Bharat: Education and protection against sexual exploitation
Child sexual exploitation remains a pervasive and deeply concerning issue in India, with millions of children vulnerable to various forms of abuse, including trafficking, online exploitation, and domestic abuse. The education (or lack thereof), both in terms of awareness, sexual rights, general schooling etc. further exacerbates the problem, leaving children susceptible.
Despite legislative efforts such as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act of 2012, implementation is stagnanted remains inadequate due to stigma, underreporting, and faulty enforcement.
Cultural taboos around sexual matters, make it harder for children to recognise, report, or seek help when faced with abuse. The lack of adequate safeguards and systemic neglect, continues the epidemic of child sexual exploitation, demanding attention and reform in both education and child protection frameworks.
Education is the most potent tool for empowerment. The Right to Education Act mandates free and compulsory education for children aged six to 14 as a fundamental right. And while enrollment rates have improved, dropout rates and Net Attendance Ratios especially among girls remain concerning.
Inadequate infrastructure and gender biases and improper health access exacerbate these challenges, disrupting the learning journey for millions and widening the digital divide.
The role of society and civic responsibility
I’m scared with the lack of inclusion of youth in policy-making in this government.
In my home state of Odisha, once 40% of children under five suffered from chronic malnutrition. Recently, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported a significant number of crimes against children, with cases of abuse, trafficking, and child labour still alarmingly prevalent.
While governmental measures are essential. We must revert back to the fundamental question: What are “WE” doing?
Community vigilance, awareness campaigns, and public discourse, well-funded and stricter enforcement help address socioeconomic disparities to counter child labour and dropouts. Civics classes, outreach programs, meaning NGO presence is simply unnoticable, by extension, children don’t have access to quality education, nutrition, healthcare, safety, support, and skill-building. Promotional initiatives too, remain lackluster, to say the least.
It isn’t just a moral obligation but a national imperative of actionable advocacy to shape the future of our nation. Child rights is a litmus test for our humanity.
The truest celebration of Children’s Day will be the day when every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, grows up in an environment that respects, protects, and cherishes their rights. For that, the work must begin today.
(Tarun Tapan Bhuyan is a student of SAI International School. Views expressed are his own.)
