Indian secularism does not have to be Western in order to be considered modern; nor can the concept of tolerance within native religious traditions take its place. Do you concur?
COVID 19, was an unprecedented health crisis that has resulted in nearly millions of deaths, disrupted healthcare infrastructures, ravaged economies, communities and pushed millions into clutches of poverty again. However, one aspect which was largely neglected until recently in the pandemonium is tRead more
COVID 19, was an unprecedented health crisis that has resulted in nearly millions of deaths, disrupted healthcare infrastructures, ravaged economies, communities and pushed millions into clutches of poverty again. However, one aspect which was largely neglected until recently in the pandemonium is the child rights crisis due to pandemic. Children who contract COVID-19 may appear to have less severe symptoms and lower mortality rates than other age groups. But in myriad other ways, the COVID-19 crisis has had and is having a devastating effect on children, with potentially far-reaching and long-term negative impacts.
Impact Of Covid-19 On Children
For years to come, children and young people will be living with the longer term, secondary impacts of this pandemic on them, and how the world chooses to respond to those will have a far-reaching impact on children’s lives. 1. Learning loss: The pandemic has resulted in the loss of learning and skills. The World Bank’s simulations at the end of 2020 showed that the Learning Poverty indicator is set to increase from 53% to 63%.
- More than 1.5 billion students across the world are out of school due to the pandemic. Widespread job and income loss and economic insecurity will likely result in most of these children, especially the poor, never going to school again.
- Moreover, these uncertain economic conditions and increased poverty levels of the family are likely to increase rates of child labor, sexual exploitation, teenage pregnancy, and child marriage.
2. Child abuse: There has been an increase in early marriages, child labor, sexual exploitation, teenage pregnancies, endangering children’s physical and mental wellbeing (UNICEF report, 2020).
- According to a report published by ChildLine India, the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have proved to be new drivers of child marriages in rural Madhya Pradesh. b.
- Stresses on families, particularly those living under quarantines, lockdowns, and other restrictions on freedom of movement, have increased the incidence of violence and abuse against children.
3. As the global death toll from COVID-19 increases, large numbers of children will be orphaned and vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. As per NCPCR 3,621 children were orphaned, 26,176 children lost either parent and 274 children were abandoned between April 1, 2021, to June 5, 2021. 4. Impact on marginalized: Marginalized communities were the worst affected. E.g., only 4% of rural SC/ST children were studying online regularly compared with 15% among other rural children as per the SCHOOL survey. 5. Malnutrition: There is reduced access to essential maternal, newborn, and child health interventions. The threat of malnutrition increased due to a halt in critical government schemes such as mid-day meals. 6. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted grave weaknesses in many countries’ protections for children, including inadequate healthcare and social protection systems, overcrowded detention facilities, and the lack of emergency action plans for large-scale school shutdowns. 7. Illegal adoptions: The children who were orphaned during the pandemic were being illegally adopted disregarding rules as per the JJ act and NCPCR guidelines. These illegally adopted children are in danger of being trafficked or used for child labour or sexual abuse.
Role Played By The National Commission For Protection Of Child Rights (Ncpcr) In Upholding Child Rights
- NCPCR alerted all the district child protection units and child welfare committees through the Chief Secretaries and all the child welfare police officers across the country through the DGP’s.
- Every child who has lost their parents (one or both) was mandatory to be produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Then the authority of CWC conducts an inquiry based on the Social Investigation Report of the Child.
- Moreover, NCPCR kept in touch with the authorities to ensure other benefits to the child and that other entitlements like the child’s Right to property, compensation amount, and insurance amount are protected.
- The NCPCR initiated action and pilot launch mapping of Children & Families vulnerable to child trafficking and matching them with benefits under various Schemes of the Government of India and State Governments.
- It also recommended that extensive mapping to be undertaken in all the districts of all the States within the country which are potential “Source”, “Transit” and “Destination” Hotspots of Child Trafficking, as per the information available with Anti Human Trafficking Units and NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau).
- It has launched SAMVEDNA – a toll-free tele-counselling helpline number for children affected during COVID-19. The tele-counselling support will cater to children all over India in various regional languages also.
- Recently it has taken the issue of illegal adoptions to the supreme court, following which the court has directed States and Union Territories (UTs) to take stringent action against private individuals and NGOs who invite people to illegally adopt children orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Issues In Working Of National Commission For Protection Of Child Rights
- The governments often ignore the recommendations completely or furnish a long bureaucratic discourse on how compliance with the recommendation is not in the public interest.
- Delayed compliance: While recommendations usually obligate governments to take action within 4-6 weeks, compliance is rare within the stipulated time and sometimes action is so delayed that it becomes meaningless.
- Commission regarded as extension of government: As non-judicial member positions are increasingly being filled by ex-bureaucrats, credence is given to the contention that commissions are more an extension of the government, rather than independent agencies exercising oversight.
Way Forward
- We need to adopt a whole of society child-centric approach as the costs of the pandemic on children are immediate and can persist for years, if not addressed.
- Pandemic has exposed children to various risks. These risks can be mitigated through societal solidarity and ownership along with government intervention.
- UNESCO has recommended that countries “adopt a variety of hi-tech, low-tech and no tech solutions to assure the continuity of learning.
- There is a need to design programs to sustain child centered services and mitigate the negative impacts of the virus, and of containment and mitigation measures on children.
The risks posed by the COVID-19 crisis to children are enormous. Governments have a responsibility not only to act urgently to protect children during the pandemic, but to consider how their decisions now can best uphold children’s rights long after the pandemic ends.
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Secularism in simplest terms means separation of religion from civil affairs of the state. It also implies the removal or minimizing of the role of religion in the public sphere. The objective behind adhering to secularism as a state policy is to ensure freedom of religion to the citizens and to preRead more
Secularism in simplest terms means separation of religion from civil affairs of the state. It also implies the removal or minimizing of the role of religion in the public sphere. The objective behind adhering to secularism as a state policy is to ensure freedom of religion to the citizens and to prevent state-sponsored religious discrimination. The Indian constitution adopted secularism through articles 25 to 28 and our preamble declares India to be a secular nation among other things. However the fundamental issue with secularism in a country as diverse and old as India is the concept of secularism is viewed as rigidly dichotomous caught between two views of those who support and oppose it.
Why Indian Secularism Need Not Be Western
The view of those who staunchly defend secularism is that for secularism to be modern it has to be western. But the western concept of secularism which was born in a single religious society itself is changing and this model of secularism is not apt in a multi-religious society like India because:
Why Cannot We Replace Secularism With Tolerance
The view of those who oppose secularism is that secularism is a western concept, and for a concept that is determining the state policy, it has to be Indian or rooted wholly in home-grown traditions. Thus this view seeks to replace secularism with ideas of toleration available within indigenous religious traditions. However, this view is also not acceptable because:
Distinctiveness Of Indian Secularism
1.While it is inappropriate to identify secularism in India with western concepts, we on the other hand cannot also replace it with the Indian idea of Sarva dharma sambhava. Indian secularism has a relation with both ideas but it is also much more. 2. 2.Indian secularism does not view an Individual as a separate entity removed from their religion. Laws in India are made keeping in mind religious sensibilities. For example, Article 25 provides freedom to profess religion under which Sikhs can wear turbans, carry kirpans and Muslims can wear hijab.
Though Secularism as a concept is western, India even before being declared as a secular state, has a rich legacy of religious tolerance and coexistence, essential elements of secularism. The constitution of India while incorporating and declaring India as a secular state has taken into consideration both our past legacy of religious tolerance and the western concept of secularism and created something more distinctive and unique that can reflect our social reality. Today while most of the western societies are grappling with the increasing multi-religious nature of their society, Indian secularism can serve as their guide and as the future of secularism in a globalized world.
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