Achieving a better future for every Indian child only requires intervention in a few key areas. These essential offers can transform and empower children, giving them access to possibilities they could have never imagined. This will require a spectrum of interventions with the participation of civil society, government, and kind-hearted citizens. India needs to make the investments required to give its children a sustainable and better future.

1. Nutrition

Girls’ access to nutrition is given a lower priority, even at childbirth. Further, it has been seen that children with lack of access to a balanced diet perform poorly in class. Realising the importance of nutrition in child development, the government has initiated the Rs. 13,000 crore Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM). The program provides daily meals to 10 crore children in almost 12 lakh schools in classes 1 to 8 across government and government-aided schools.

2. Report child abuse

Due to increasing urban populations, the population of street-dwelling children, and therefore child abuse is increasing. 27.4 % children (between the ages of 7-18) live in slums, and do not have to infrastructure like schools. Upon witnessing abuse, report it to the local Child Welfare Committee. India’s Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 mandates State governments to establish CWCs across districts. CWCs can initiate inquiries after a child is brought to them. Police officers, public servants, NGO personnel, social workers and even citizen can bring child victims of abuse to a CWC. You can also report these incidents to the police, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act.

3. Girl child education

With education, girls can develop the skills and knowledge to become skilled workers and employees in the future. Girl child education uplifts entire families, and girls can stand up for themselves and their communities, enhancing their health and prosperity, fighting early marriage and sex-selective abortion. NGOs like Bal Raksha Bharat organises community events to sensitise communities about girl child education. The NGO’s achievements include enabling girls to become their family’s first-generation learners.

4. Donate to NGO

Working closely with governmental goals of eradicating exploitation and empowering children, leading child rights NGO Bal Raksha Bharat is supported by government bodies, corporations, and most importantly, individuals. Donate online to enable swift access to financial resources for communities who need it immediately. The NGO’s programmes are working to prevent trafficking, illiteracy, and malnutrition across India.

5. Support disaster fundraising

As per a United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction analysis of 2015 disasters, India ranks among the top 3 most disaster-hit countries. The nation is also exposed to poor city planning, as well as rising global incidents of floods and heatwaves. In disaster, children face a unique set of risks which need to be addressed immediately. Bal Raksha Bharat acts as one of the first civil society responders in rescue and rehabilitation of communities during disasters. It rolls out its child-centred and community-based preparedness programmes across vulnerable communities. These include an Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (EPP), as well as an IT-driven Disaster Risk Reduction project across schools.

Conclusion

One of the many ways you can help NGOs give children a better future is to donate to NGO fundraising. These sponsor the NGO’s relief and rehabilitation efforts, and maintain the necessary standards of education and healthcare access in times of need. The NGO’s programs are run in conjunction with government bodies, corporations, civil society and other entities, and are designed to provide every child a meaningful, dignified and independent future. To instantly join this movement, donate online.