Protecting children from violence
Experts recently sought a holistic approach to protect children from physical and mental violence, exploitation, child marriage and gender-based discrimination. According to a report in this newspaper Wednesday, they also stressed the need for building mass awareness, specially among the media people, to help children to flourish their inner potentialities overcoming barriers in families, educational institutions and society.
Children comprise a significant segment of the total population of the country. They are the future of the country and the development of the country cannot be imagined ignoring their rights. But increasing incidents of abduction, murder and torture of children in recent times have caused concern among the saner segment of the society.
Children of impoverished families are exposed to harsh realities of life. They are forced to work from very early age for survival. Many of them become victims of sexual abuse, bonded labour, trafficking and other forms of violence and exploitation. All these leave them utterly traumatized. Many children grow up in slums and footpaths in the country, particularly in the capital, without any care and attention.
The country witnessed a phenomenal increase in the number of street children with the rapid population growth over the past few years. Almost 85 per cent of them are growing up in a dirty and unhygienic environment; they bear the brunt of malnutrition and different diseases. Many of them get involved in crimes like theft, snatching and drug selling while the female children are engaged in prostitution. The children must be freed from all sorts of cruelties and inhuman behaviour, violation, repression and deprivation for building them as worthy citizens and social contributors. Social responsibility and political will is very much important to this end.
Physical and mental development of children is not possible until they are protected from violence and deprivation. There is no alternative to ensuring equal rights for development of their latent intelligence. Incidents of child murder, sexual harassment, suicide and trafficking have been increasing gradually as they are being deprived of their fundamental rights.
Children should be protected from all sorts of labour, violence, repression and oppression so that they could make themselves competent enough to serve the nation. The government has taken up various measures for improving the lot of children. More such initiatives should be taken up through proper planning for them. The children of poor families should be brought under vocational educational programme so that they can be engaged in income-generating activities to live life with dignity.
