Understand The Role Of NGO In Protecting Childhood & Child Development

06/11/16

Others

50

Governments, civil society, and concerned citizens are essential stakeholders in any program to revitalise a community’s needs and bring them out of difficulty. India’s biggest, and most marginalised community is its children. At every stage of their life, even at birth, India’s children face life changing challenges. The role of NGO in protecting childhood is crucial, as strategic and consistent intervention by NGO workers, in the form of on-ground support and activism, while also working with officials is a necessity to give every child a better future.

Here is how India’s child development NGOs working for child development.

1. Eliminating child labour:

Ten million children today work 14-16 hour shifts in farming, stone cutting sector, embroidery, and mining industry. India ranks among the 74 countries with ’significant incidence of critical working conditions’ (US Department of Labor report – ‘List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor). NGOs work with trade organisation to educate businesses about the evils of child labour. The role of NGO in child labour also includes instructing locals in villages and cities are also instructed to report child labour at businesses. Reducing its demand is one of the most effective ways of ending child trafficking and labour.

Child Protection NGOs like Bal Raksha Bharat also fight for stronger anti-child labour laws through providing compelling evidence that forms the basis of legislation. Legislative victories include the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act which was strengthened with the NGO’s intervention.

Also Read: Top 5 Ways To Stop Child Labour

Additionally, the child right organization has relations with vulnerable communities across India, as well as state and national level governance to address child labour, abuse, corporal punishment, trafficking, and child rights violation.

2. Education and enrolment

Despite having the world’s largest education system, India faces low literacy due to low enrollment, and high dropout rates, and a lack of child education donation support for underprivileged children.

How Bal Raksha Bharat is working for child education:

• Driving the importance of child education in ‘safe schools’ that do not discriminate on gender, caste or socio-economic background
• ‘Inclusive Learner Friendly Environments’ (for children aged 3-18 years) across slums and villages
• As Right to Education forum members, push for a financial framework supporting the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009

Also Read: Right to Education Act (RTE) -Importance & Responsibilities

• Dialogue with families to send their children to school, while also providing admission assistance
• Create fun and meaningful experiences in school, with child-friendly and interactive teaching-learning methods
• Create funding for libraries, computers, sports equipment and Mobile Learning Centres
• Bringing out-of-school children back to the classroom
• Bringing street children and child labourers back to school

Rehabilitation and relief

Bal Raksha Bharat reduces newborn and child death through awareness campaigns on nutrition and essential healthcare. The NGO works closely with Integrated Child Development Services Scheme, Department of Health and Family Welfare and Panchayat Raj Institutions, creating an ecosystem of infant health and survival while adhering to a child protection policy for NGOs to ensure the safety and well-being of children.

In India’s most backwards and marginalised communities, the NGO does the following:

• Community Healthcare Workers (CHWs) are trained to give immediate health care to mothers, newborns and pregnant women
• Pushing for better implementation of policies
• Supporting India’s public health and access to nutrition
• Educating communities about natal checkups, hospital deliveries, breastfeeding, and access to nutrition and medicine
• Cooking demonstrations, setting up health camps and providing nutrition rehab to malnourished children
• Providing medical assistance in disaster hit regions

Conclusion

Bal Raksha Bharat’s campaigns have reduced infant mortality, chronic malnutrition, child trafficking, and have increased access to education. These are part of a holistic approach to engage governments, civil society and community. If you are looking for a child NGO near me, Bal Raksha Bharat is actively working to support children in need. All these initiatives require heavy investment and infrastructure around the clock and there’s always a cause the NGO is tirelessly working for. Donate online to instantly become part of a movement to give every child a future, no matter what his or her circumstances. You will not only receive tax benefits, but also the satisfaction that you have genuinely made a difference and given back to society.

Gaurav Sharma

Content Reviewer

“I am an editor and technical specialist at Bal Raksha Bharat, responsible for publishing articles and posts. My role involves evaluating content for consistency, and ensuring a positive user experience across the website."