Why children matter this election?
- In India 14 lakh children die every year to diseases and poverty — highest anywhere in the world
- 1 crore 26 lakh children in India are engaged in labour
- 1 crore 70 lakh children in India still remain out of school
Every child and young person has rights, no matter who they are or where they live. Nearly every government in the world has promised to protect, respect and fulfil these rights, yet they are still violated worldwide.
Governments have rarely prioritised children, and fail to recognise that they have rights. India continues to hit the headlines for our staggering statistics on all indicators relating to children’s well-being. Children constitute 40 percent of India’s population the statistics bear testimony to the fact that as a nation are not investing enough for children in our country. By ignoring children we are not only putting our present at peril but also our future.
Issues concerning children must emerge high on political agenda and translate into commitments for children in our country, and together we create a nation where every child counts.
Activists, experts and artists stand up for children
Before India goes to polls, hundreds of children along with 23 child rights and civil society organisations, and public figures like Aruna Roy, Kushal Singh, Chairperson, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, and Nikhil Dey among others will be demanding that children’s issues be taken up by political parties.
Artists and Bands including EKA Music, Kalyani, Joshua Neville, Jasleen Royal, Rishab Shankar, Mohd. Akram will stand in support through expressions of music. Be there tomorrow at 4pm, Jantar Mantar, and make India’s future matter!