Editorial Team
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Save the Children today launched its new global campaign, entitled Every Last Child at the state event held here in Mumbai today. The campaign aims to improve the lives of two million of India s most excluded and vulnerable children, including 500,000 children currently living on the streets. General Manager State Programmes, Save the Children , Ms. Sandhya Krishnan, Film Director and the Director of Photography Mr Chandrasekhar Rath and Child Celebrity Janhvi Rath and Rashmi Pitre TV Actress with over 20 child champions and children from urban slums of Mumbai were present, to stand up for the rights of these children.
The campaign draws on the efforts made by Save the Children through its Mobile Learning Centre project intervention over past two years in M-east Ward area. MLC has been able to introduce early reading and writing skills to 1728 children. 10 children groups have reached out to 888 children, educating them on various issues of Child Protection. 1441 families were counselled for enrolling their children in the nearest Anganwadi Centres. 382 out-of-school children got mainstreamed into formal schooling system. (Read: Poor kids can live longer if they participated in day care programs)
Save the Children is also working on addressing urban malnutrition in Govandi Slums through a partner organization, Apnalaya. So far the project has reached out to 8,458 household visits to identify pregnant, lactating women, children in age 0-18 years thus reaching out to 7,473 families, 1,006 women registered their names at the government health centre for deliveries, 68 peer educators took Sexual and Reproductive Health Sessions with 3,350 adolescent boys and girls, 100% government staff (36 ICDS and 21 MCGM) trained on IYCF for the second year, There has been a 33% increase in children at 23 months receiving complete immunization since last two years (29% in 2014 and 61.8% in 2015) 179 mother support group members conducted sessions with 1,516 pregnant and lactating women. Community groups formed in 12 intervention slum areas during that includes 34 Adolescent groups, 17 mother support groups, 08 Male Groups, 04 Religious leaders groups and 17 Children groups. Sessions on Adolescent Reproductive & Sexual Health, Life skills, MNCHN, Government schemeswere conducted for the different groups formed in the community. (Read:The perils of being a child in India)
Millions of invisible children living in slums and on the streets are not registered at birth and do not have identity documents, excluding them from accessing vital services. Save the Children is calling for immediate action to ensure that all children are registered and given access to the critical health, protection and education services they need. These services are especially vital to street children who are among the most at risk of abuse, exploitation and neglect.
'Save the Children is calling for immediate action to ensure that all children are back to school, accessible to the child protection systems and critical health services they need. These services are especially vital to the children who are among the most at risk of abuse, exploitation and neglect', shared Ms. Sandhya Krishnan, State Programme Manager, Save the Children, India at the launch of the mega-campaign here in Mumbai today. Outcomes for poor children in urban settings are significantly lower than for higher-income families: a poor child is almost one and half times more likely to die in his/her first month compared to a child born toahigher-income family. 63% of street children were found to be illiterate. (Read: Study points out what drives child labour in India)
The new research also shows that 85% of street children live with an adult caregiver. The majority had come from poor rural areas only to find themselves homeless in the cities. Evidence suggests that the poor in India are increasingly marginalised as the gap between the richest and the poorest has widened dramatically. Every Last Child is a three-year campaign calling on decision makers at the household, local, national and international levels to ensure barriers that prevent the poorest children from accessing life-saving services are eliminated. (Read: 30 percent school children malnourished)
The organisation also calls on world leaders to commit to three basic guarantees. These include:
Child celebrityMs Janvi Rath, shares 'We all have certain responsibilities to ensure all the children are safe, protected and cared for. Every Last Chid Campaign is to inform all of us to take on the possible responsibilities for our children'.
Save the Children will campaign with the following agenda:
|
Press release
Image source: Getty images (Image for representational purpose only)