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Child labour: Did you know that India ranks as number 1 when it comes to child labour? According to the statistics provided by The Government of India around 90 million out of 179 million children in the six to 14 age group do not go to school and are engaged in some occupation or other. This means that close to 50 per cent of Indian children are deprived of their right to a free and happy childhood!

Child abuse: As child abuse comes to the fore, statistics have noted that close to 90% of all children below the age of 15 have been abused sexually at some point of time and in most of the cases it has been by someone who is extremely close to the family. Contrary to popular belief child abuse is not just restricted to intercourse. Even acts such as exposing children to pornography, passing obscene remarks or gratification of any kind accounts to abuse.

Child trafficking and prostitution: A recent study shows that there are more than 1 Million child prostitutes in the country and the number is steadily growing owing to the flourishing market of flesh trade that exists in our country. Unsuspecting parents, driven by the desperation of extreme poverty often send their children off to work in the big city & walk straight into the despicable cesspool of child prostitution.

Malnourishment: You probably live in the big city and you’re constantly being told about the ‘great Indian success story’. But don’t forget that 70% of India still lives in villages. In many of those villages, the most basic human need – food- is still a rare commodity. In fact a 2007 study by UNICEF says that Indian malnourishment rates are worse than those in Africa!

Juvenile Delinquency: If children don’t grow up in the right environs, they’re going to lash out in a number of ways. Sometimes these take the form of various kinds of substance abuse be it local drugs or alcohol, delinquency or even gambling. This behavior only snowballs as they grow older & they could end up choosing a life of crime

Higher risk of mental & physical disease: Unprotected children are weak targets for various kinds of exploitation like child labour, prostitution, abuse etc. These children grow up with feelings of depression, alienation and sometimes develop severe medical conditions. In fact, children who are physically abused have a higher risk of developing cancer.

Loss of educational opportunities: Another shameful statistic to add to our list is that India is the country with the largest number of children out of school. Exploited children either don’t go to school at all or perform badly due to the constant exposure to physical and mental stress. The right to education is a basic fundamental right of every Indian and when children are denied this right, they are handicapped for life.

Enforce right to education: Every Indian child must receive a basic education. If children are educated, they’ll not only understand their rights but also aspire to be something more than just a roadside hawker.

Counseling: Although this seems like a very academic method of tacking an issue, it’s seen as the one of the most efficient. Counselors have actually reached out to a lot of young children and families among the lower classes and ensured that parents encourage children to go to school and get more involved in their development Government

Support: Although NGOs may be willing to take a lot of measures to ensure child rights, the need of the hour still remains Government intervention and allocation of funds. If the Government allocates a higher percentage for primary education, there would be a lot more parents sending their kids to school than to work. Similarly, a lot more money could be allocated to dealing with the many issues that children out on the street today are facing.

Zero Tolerance policy: As a society we need to wake up to the horror of child abuse and adopt a zero tolerance policy to those who perpetrate this crime. Through citizen groups, individual action and by exercising pressure on government and media, cases of child abuse can be brought to light and swift severe corrective action can be taken. Once such a policy becomes law (both legal & moral), it will act as a strong deterrent to offenders.

Educate a child: Education is empowerment. When a kid knows how to read and understands his basic rights, he also knows when to raise the alarm and also how to be alert to situations where he/she could face abuse

Inform the authorities: If you know of any child who is being exploited in any way, tell the police about it or at least inform the media who have more power to draw attention to the issue.

Start Community Support: Start a support group, organize your friends together and get people to back you against violation of child rights. You can start by simply using the right to information to collect statistics & facts that you can circulate in your building. Spreading awareness is often the first step towards real change

Change begins at home: Child labor is a legal offense punishable by law. Make sure YOU don’t commit a crime by employing a young child as a maid/servant in your own house!

Know the law: To make a difference the first thing you need to do is to get informed. So read up on child laws in India, find out from NGO’s about what the present situation is and then decide how you intend on bettering it.