 |
| Poverty makes
many Nepalese children
helpless |
As SAAGN says approximately
one fourth of the world’s child population lives in South Asia. In 2003, there
were an estimated 584 million children in the region comprising 40.6% of the
entire population. Across South Asia 12
per cent of children aged 5-14 are engaged in child labour. This amounts to a
total of 44 million children, which is more than 25 per cent of all children
engaged in child labour worldwide (150 million). Of these children, 29 million
live in India.
An estimated 164 million children of primary school age live in South Asia. Of these, 42 million (25 per cent) do not attend school. Approximately 23 million (55 per cent) of these are girls. Globally, South Asia accounts for 35 per cent of the world’s out-of-school in children. Children in South Asia and in the world experience violence in a range of settings including at home, in schools and educational settings, in care and justice systems, in workplaces and in the communities.
Besides, an
estimated 43 million girls and boys in South Asia are growing up without one or
both of their parents due to the impact of poverty, disability, HIV/AIDS, armed
conflict, natural disasters and migration. While some children without parental
care live with their extended families in kinship care arrangements, others no
longer have their families, have been separated from them, or their families
represent a serious danger to their development and/or protection. For these
children, States have the responsibility to provide special protection and
assistance.
SAAGN starts a petition to call governments to
recognize that every child for his/her full and harmonious development of
personality should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of
happiness, love and understanding. This presupposes the commitment of each
Country, State and competent authorities to takes steps so that each child
could exercise his/her rights. Therefore, SAAGN is urging upon two broad categories of rights. The first is the
right of the child to a family as an essential right. The second is the rights
of the family to be supported and protected by the State.
The Leaders of the countries in the South Asia Region as well as central governments and Directors of International Child Welfare Organisations should focus on:
The Leaders of the countries in the South Asia Region as well as central governments and Directors of International Child Welfare Organisations should focus on:
• Full
implementation of commitments under the UN convention of the Rights of the
Child, including the rights to be cared for by their families, to be provided
health and education services and to be heard and respected for their opinions.
• The repatriation
of children from Institutions to Family and Community based services.
• Investing
resources in community services that children need in order to thrive in the
community, instead of spending on institutions.
•
Strengthening/creating a Task force that can contribute to promoting non
institutional care practices in the countries.
• Consulting with
Grassroots organizations to dialogue with the Civil Society share experiences,
develop solidarity and plan and implement initiatives to adopt family
strengthening approaches that enable families and children to receive their due
share of care and protection. Those who are interested in signing the petition,
please log onto http://www.saagn.org/.
