NATIONAL SEMINAR ON HUMAN RIGHTS Sponsered by UGC, New Delhi - Paper presentation on Child Rights, Child Labour and Child abuse- on 25th Nov 2010

Nehru and Children

 

Universal Children's Day is being observed on November 20 every year. It was established to encourage all countries to institute a day, firstly to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and secondly to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world's children. It was also chosen as the day to celebrate childhood. . But in India it is celebrated on 14th November, as it is the birth anniversary of the legendary freedom fighter, independent India’s first Prime Minister and the architect of modern India – Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru. The reason why his birthday has been chosen for the celebration of children is because of his love and affection for children. Children's Day is to celebrate "childhood" as we all yearn to rediscover our childhood with its innocence and playfulness.

 

Apart from being a Statesman and an efficient administrator, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru was a gifted writer and a historian. His books The Discovery of India, Glimpses of World history etc. bear the stamp of an intellectual with a sensitive mind and a poetic temperament. He strived to make a free democratic, socialist, secular India and was an apostle of world peace.

 

Though the children’s day is a tribute to the architect of modern India, it is also a gift for the millions of children. Pandit Nehru was very much fond of Children. To them he was always ‘Chacha Nehru’ and not the all powerful Prime Minister. He used to be very happy and exurberant in the company of children. The Children, as a token of love used to gift him with roses – red roses – which he would happily pin in his button hole. Pandit Nehru, apart from being an ardent statesman was a creative writer with a sensitive mind. His sensitivity and imagination is vividly portrayed in all his works, be it letters from a father to his Daughter or his will and Testament.

 

His love for the nature is clearly pictured in his will in which he wished that ‘the major portion of his ashes be scattered from a height over the fields where the peasants of India toil so that they might mingle with the dust and soil of India and became an indistinguishable part of India’.

 

Indeed, his love for the children was an extension of his love for the Nature as the children are the “blooming flowers of the nature”. He might have also been inspired by the dictum ‘Child is the father of Man’.

 

To Nehru, children were always a source of solace and happiness. In his hectic life as the prime minister of india he always had to tackle nerve racking problems. But once he was in the company of children his serious demeanour would change, he would be light hearted with full of mirth. In their company, he would find an outlet for his emotions. He would allow the little ones to play pranks with him. Being a great advocate of education for children, his government oversaw the establishment of many institutions of higher learning. He played an important role in shaping modern India; he laid the strong foundation for India’s future by creating universal primary education and reaching children in farthest corners of India with this programme.

On children’s day we celebrate it by distributing sweets, light entertainments by the children and the like. But is that enough to honour the memory of that great humanist, the tireless fighter for rights and justice?

 

What we have done for the betterment of Children who are destitutes and who are not blessed with a normal, happy life? Something has to be done for those marginalised children.

Celebrating Children’s Day is about giving children the right to enjoy and grow into healthy and educated citizens of the country, and if you can teach our child the value of sharing with others what they are lucky to have, then not only our child will grow into a responsible human being, but also another child who otherwise could have ended up being a delinquent, had it not been for our thoughtfulness. 

 

Every day so many cases of children being abused and ill treated are being reported. They are being exploited in homes, workplaces and streets. Child labour is quite rampant. The children are not safe even within the four walls of their home, as incest is being reported in many cases.

 

Recent UNICEF report on the state of the world’s children under the title “Childhood Under Threat” , speaking about India, states that millions of Indian children are equally deprived of their rights to survival, health, nutrition, education and safe drinking water. It is reported that 63 per cent of them go to bed hungry and 53 per cent suffer from chronic malnutrition.

 

India is a party to the UN declaration on the Rights of the Child. Accordingly, it adopted a National Policy on Children in 1974. The policy reaffirmed the constitutional provisions for adequate services to children, both before and after birth and through the period of growth to ensure their full physical, mental and social development. India is also a signatory to the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children.

 

While all children need protection, because of their social, economic, or even geographical location, some children like Homeless children, Migrant children, Street and runaway children, Orphaned or abandoned children, Working children, Child beggars, Disabled children are more vulnerable than others and need special attention. 

 

The Constitution of India guarantees all children certain rights, which have been specially included for them. The country is taking efforts to improve the implementation of its Juvenile Justice System through the systems of functionaries like the child welfare committee members, Juvenile Justice Board, police and care-takers in the various institutions under the Act.

Of course, there are a number of laws and enactments to curb or stop the violences towards the children. But in spite of such rules, violation of human rights of them are escalating. Many cases go unnoticed and unreported. It is a universal fact that no rule or acts can completely eradicate social evils. Only through sustained public awareness or public movement can we bring a drastic change in the condition of these children. Only a social consciousness of the people can better the lives of the children who are the future architects of the nation. It is the duty of every person to see that the exploitation of children in all spheres are eradicated and the quality of life of these hapless human beings are enhanced. If we strive to attain this goal it would be a befitting tribute to the farsighted visionary who dreamt the future of india safe and secure in the hands of the children. Yes, “Children are the world's most valuable resource and best hope for future” 

(The speech made on 14th Nov 2010 All India Radio.) 

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