Every Children’s Day, we often talk about the innocence of children, how we miss our childhood days and how there is a child hidden in every one of us. This children’s day let us take a step further and preserve that innocence and actually protect children’s childhood by empowering them with their rights. Here are few rights related to children which they should be aware of.
- Right to Education – It is the basic right of any child to receive primary education. No school can make a child repeat a class until the completion of elementary education or demand for any amount of donation in cash or kind for securing admission in any class.
- Right to life – It is the basic right of any child to lead a life with dignity. Mere survival does not amount to life. It is his right to demand a clean and healthy environment for his survival.
- Child labour – No children under the age of 14 can be employed as workers in any industry.
- Domestic violence – In case if children are being hit brutally or harassed by their parents or any family member either physically, mentally, sexually or emotionally, then such children can seek protection under the domestic violence act.
- Child sex abuse – Children are not sexual objects. Their tender minds are not a defence against your cruel intentions. Child sex abuse is a crime and children have a right to be sexually safe. It is our responsibility to teach them to say ‘no’.
Once we teach our children to respect each other and be safe, we can rest assure that as adults, they would live in a better world than we are presently living in.