By Jitendra Rath* Every year in India, the first week of September is observed as the National Nutrition Week. This was conceived first time in 1982 by the Food and Nutrition Board. This is an annual event to intensify awareness on nutrition and its impact on productivity, economic growth and ultimately on development. In 2016, … More Fighting undernutrition: Promotion of traditional food practices could be the game changer

By Kailash Satyarthi* In the foothills of the Himalayas, many years ago, I met a small, skinny child labourer. He asked me: “Is the world so poor that it cannot give me a toy and a book, instead of forcing me to take a gun or a tool?” Another time, a child-mother from the streets … More Perspective: What are we waiting for? Sustainable societies begin with children

Haq: Centre for Child Rights has come up with a new report, “Parliamentary Watch: Budget Session, Monsoon Session & Winter Session 2015”, analyzing the behaviour of India’s members of Parliament (MPs) on issues of children in the two houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Excerpts: There are 444 million children in India. They make up … More There are 444 million children in India, yet only 5% of questions in Parliament are about them

By Venkatesh Nayak* Heated debate took place inside and outside Parliament during the budget session earlier this year, on the proposals to amend the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2011 (WBP Act). The WBP Amendment Bill, approved by the Lok Sabha and now pending consideration in the Rajya Sabha, seeks to amend the WBP Act substantially apart from rectifying some … More Cabinet note on whistleblowers amendment Bill reveals govt intention: Refusal to give people absolute right to blow whistle

A recent study, “Cotton’s Forgotten Children”*, by Dr Davuluri Venkateswarlu, director, Glocal Research, a Hyderabad-based multi-disciplinary reseach and consultancy service, has found large-scale incidence of child labour in cotton producing fields of India. Based on field survey between July 2014 and January 2015, the study analyses primary data collected through field visits to 396 sample … More Gujarat, the largest cottonseed production area in India, accounts for nearly 55% of the total children employed in the sector

A recent report prepared by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) and Save the Children, “Forgotten voices”, takes a look at children living in India’s urban areas at a time when India is seeking to capture the attention of the global community for its promising and steady economic growth. Especially focusing on the urban deprived children, it says, … More India’s urban development schemes do not take into account issues related to children’s health, education, growth, safety

A background paper, “Missing Children: Challenges and Prospects”, prepared by National Action and Coordination Group End Violence Against Children (NACG EVAC), India, was presented at a consultative meet in Delhi, organized with the support of Plan India, Child in Need Institute (CINI) and Shakti Vahini on May 25. Excerpts: An international definition on missing person … More India has no specific law focusing on missing children, issue is addressed as crime committed against children