Building children’s agenda: Political parties should consider children as equal citizens

With the upcoming general election, all political parties are presenting their manifestos. These poll-specific manifestos mostly consist of promises aimed at influencing voters from different segments. However, political parties have never considered children as independent entities; instead, they have consistently grouped them with women as ‘women and children’. 

Despite being over 444 million, which constitutes the largest child and adolescent population in the world, children under eighteen years old are not entitled to cast votes. Nevertheless, they are equal citizens of the country. This is why programmes like Mission Vastlya emphasise ‘Bal Sabha – children’s assembly’.

School management committees also have provisions to include children as equal members and create opportunities for them to share their views on the development of the school. These provisions ensure their right to participation.

The issues concerning children are significant. If political parties were to discuss and commit to bringing vulnerable children back into the mainstream, it could influence the decisions of their parents and family members. Therefore, parties should consider children as a separate segment when formulating their poll manifestos.

The demographic, socio-economic, gender and social inclusion data from sources like the National Family Health Survey for 2019-21 and National Crime Records Bureau report released in 2021 depict how vulnerable our children are in present circumstances. Many of the rights of our children have been denied and they are facing numerous challenges throughout their life cycle. This has been further aggravated because of COVID-19.

The Maternal Mortality Rate is 103 for every 100,000 live births and the sex ratio at birth is 929 per 1,000 boys. The under-five mortality rate is 33 per 1,000 live births, whereas 32 per cent of our girls are underweight and 16.2 per cent of girls are partially immunised or unimmunised. 

According to the POSHAN tracker, as of October 2021, 3.3 million children were found to be moderately and severely malnourished. Only 41 per cent of girls are completing 10 or more years of schooling and 23.3 per cent are getting married before the legal age. 

The Crime in India report released in 2022 states that 162,449 cases of crimes against children were registered that year, marking an increase of 8.7 per cent from 2021. Out of these cases, 45.7 per cent involve kidnapping and abduction and 39.7 per cent were under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. 

Apart from these, issues like child labour, children in street situation, closure and merger of elementary schools and a lack of facilities for children with special needs are creating havoc on children’s growth and development. These facts and figures reflect a high level of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation that our children are facing in their day-to-day lives.

The issues and challenges facing children are fundamentally different from those facing women. Placing children alongside women in one ministry is an outcome of our patriarchal thoughts. Children have the right to a meaningful childhood, which includes a secure family, a safe living environment and inspiring spaces to learn and share. 

Fulfilling these basic necessities is crucial for a country like ours, which aspires to lead the globe. Failure to equip our children to face challenges arising from climate injustice, the digital divide, global complexity, migration and unemployment may prevent us from meeting these aspirations. 

The issues facing children are diverse and unique, necessitating political parties to commit to establishing a separate ministry for ‘Child Rights’. This would aid in building a vision for a more child- and family-focused society.

Elections always create a scope for influence and being influenced. Political parties are leaving no stone unturned to reach out to every section of society and trying to mobilise support.

Children’s agencies and organisations working for child rights have also been putting efforts into building the children’s agenda by influencing the political parties’ manifestos. For this purpose, these organisations mostly put together consultations with children and arrange interfaces with political groups and members of the manifesto committees.

Children do not have a vote. However, children with vulnerabilities, along with their parents and family members, constitute a significant segment of potential voters who can serve as their voice. Political parties should choose to listen to them. 

Considering this as an opportunity and scope to mobilise this section of society, political parties should now reverse their approach by organising consultations with children, parents and groups working for children. This will help them understand the issues more closely and, in return, will be helpful in getting them closer to the community, resulting in trust-building. This will surely enhance their image, popularity and vote bank.

Ghasiram Panda is the National Project Lead – Child Rights of ActionAid Association

Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth

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