Children's Rights

130 million girls didn’t go to school today— not because they didn’t want to, but because they weren’t given the chance. A quality education has the full potency to change our world. Let us provide the girl child with protection from the dangers of poverty, child marriage, child labour, sexual abuse, exploitation and give them the knowledge, skills, confidence to reach their full potential and to realize their dreams.

Girl Child Education Prevents Child Exploitation

In rural villages of India, young girls are rarely allowed out of their homes except to work in the fields or to get married. Poor health, early death and lack of educational opportunities lead the list of problems attributed to child marriage. They’re often subject to a lifetime of poverty. Statistically, child brides have a higher risk of becoming victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse and exploitation.By sending a girl child to school it can prevent child marriage.

Child Labor In India

17 million children in India work as per official estimates. A study found that children were sent to work by compulsion and not by choice, mostly by parents, but with recruiter playing a crucial role in influencing the decision. When working outside the family, children put in an average of 21 hours of labour per week.

19% of children employed work as domestic help.
90% working children are in rural India.
85% of working children are in the unorganized sectors.
About 80% of child labour is engaged in agricultural work.

Millions of children work to help their families because the adults do not have appropriate employment and income thus forfeiting schooling and opportunities to play and rest. Children also work because there is demand for cheap labour. High incidence of child labour is a result of high incidence of adult unemployment. Large numbers of children work simply because there is no alternative – since they do not have access to good quality schools. Poor and bonded families often “sell” their children to contractors who promise lucrative jobs in the cities and the children end up being employed in brothels, hotels and domestic work. Many run away and find a life on the streets. There are approximately 2 million child commercial sex workers between the age of 5 and 15 years and about 3.3 million between 15 and 18 years.
They form 40% of the total population of commercial sex workers in India.
80% of these are found in the 5 metros.
71% of them are illiterate.
500,000 children are forced into this trade every year.

We can help stop child labour, sexual exploitation and slavery. Every child has the right to good education and the right to enjoy their childhood. Bring the girls out of darkness, school is the best place to work.

According to India’s Minister of Women and Child Development, there are at least 2000 girls killed in India every day. Most of them were slain before or after birth and some are covered with pillows right on their faces and right after their birth choking them to death.
In a patriarchal society, women are viewed as a burden because of the continuing prevalence of the dowry system; discrimination, illiteracy, poverty, violence and abuse towards women.
Help us in our campaign to Save The Girl Child and Educate The Girl Child.
Stop female infanticide! Sponsor a girl child now.

Constitutional Guarantees that are meant specifically for children include:

• Right to free and compulsory elementary education for all children in the 6-14 year age group. (Article 21 A)
• Right to be protected from any hazardous employment till the age of 14 years (Article 24)
• Right to be protected from being abused and forced by economic necessity to enter occupations unsuited to their age or strength (Article 39(e))
• Right to equal opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and guaranteed protection of childhood and youth against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment (Article 39 (f))
• Right to early childhood care and education to all children until they complete the age of six years (Article 45)

Apart from these rights, they have following rights which have been violated every single day: