3rd Technical Consultation on Eliminating Harmful PracticesAffecting Children26th-27th September 2013
India Country Presentation
by
Ministry of Women and Child Development
Government of India
Towards a new dawn
What are Harmful Practices?
Harmful Practices in India
Current Situation: Child Marriage and CorporalPunishment
Key Initiatives: Child Marriage and CorporalPunishment
Other Initiatives for Protection of Children
Way Forward
Structure of thePresentation
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•Reasons:
a) Long standing/entrenched value systemscombined with low socio-economic status
b) Child is viewed as a mere extension of thefamily and not a separate entity with rights andentitlements
•Kinds: These can be traditional as well ascontemporary social, cultural and religiouspractices
What are HarmfulPractices?
3
•Impact:
a) Affects safety and protection of children
b) Creates an environment where the voice ofthe child is not heard
c) Results in vulnerability to abuse of multiplesorts
What are HarmfulPractices?
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•Child Marriage
•Corporal Punishment
•Gender Discrimination (1)
•Caste Discrimination
•Discrimination against differently abled children
•Dowry and dowry related crimes
Examples of HarmfulPractices in India
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Current Situation
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•National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data:
Number of cases registered under PCMA 2006 inthe year 2010, 2011, 2012 are 60, 113 and 169respectively
•National Family Health Survey (NHFS-3):
a) 47% of married women (20-24 years old) weremarried before the age of 18years
b) There is an inverse correlation between theattainment of education and the odds of gettingmarried
Child Marriage
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Key Initiatives – ChildMarriage
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•Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006
a)Permissible age for marriage for girls is 18 yearsand boys is 21 years
b)It makes child marriage an offence and prescribespunishment for those conducting/ abetting/promoting/permitting/solemnizing child marriage
Key Initiatives – ChildMarriage
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c) The Courts have the power to issue injunction toprevent child marriages from taking place
d) The solemnization of child marriage is acognizable and non-baliable offence
e) Act provides institution of Child MarriageProhibition Officer (CPMO) in every state toprevent child marriages, ensure protection of thevictim as well as prosecution of offenders
Key Initiatives - ChildMarriage
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Conditional Cash Transfer Schemes
•Balika Samridhi Yojana (1)
•Bhagyasri Kalyan Bima Yojana (2)
•Other health schemes such as Janani SurakshaYojana, Indira Gandhi Matritva Shayog Yojanawhere girls below 19 are excluded fromavailing benefits of the scheme sponsored byCentral Government
Key Initiatives - ChildMarriage
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•Handbook on PCMA, 2006: Developed byMWCD
•Core Group involving concerned Ministries,NGOs, academic research bodies, media andother experts formed to strengthen theimplementation of PCMA.
•National Consultation on Child Marriage heldon 25th May, 2012 (1)
Other Initiatives toPrevent Child Marriage
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•National Strategy Document on Prevention of ChildMarriage (2)
•Policies like National Population Policy, 2000, NationalYouth Policy, 2003 and National AdolescentReproductive and Sexual Health Policy have advocateddelaying the age at marriage and age of conceiving thefirst child.
•National Policy for Children, 2013 emphasizes thatin addition to other vulnerable children, marriedchildren are also tracked, rescued, rehabilitated andhave access to their right to education
Other Initiatives to PreventChild Marriage
•National Girl Child day (celebrated on 24th January)and schemes like Rajiv Gandhi Scheme forEmpowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA) launchedin 2010 (1) are being used to raise awareness on theissue at various levels.
•State Governments are requested to take specialinitiatives to delay marriage by coordinated efforts onAkha Teej – the traditional day for such marriages
•Workshops, seminars and legal awareness campsare organised in various states to spread awareness andbring attitudinal changes to prevent child marriage.
Other Initiatives to PreventChild Marriage
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Other Initiatives forProtection of Children
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•Ensure that there are structures in place andfunctioning as stipulated under various nationallaws and Schemes
•Strengthening the Monitoring and Evaluationsystem
•Capacity building and sensitisation offunctionaries
Way Forward
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•Finalisation and roll out of National Plan of Actionon Child Marriage (1)
•Creating a child friendly society and raisingawareness of parents and teachers on impact ofissues such as corporal punishment
•Continue supporting empowerment of girls andpromote community awareness
Way Forward
•Fulfill children’s right to survival, development,protection and participation
•Ensure survival, holistic development, protectionand participation of children belonging to allcastes, religions, language groups, communities,socio economic status and geographical locations
•Fulfill children’s development potential innurturing, protective, child friendly and gendersensitive, family, community, programme andpolicy environments
Way Forward
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Thank you !!!