CRY's (Child Relief & You) 25-year experience shows that every reform initiative selects one or two areas as particular challenges, and evolves strategies aimed at closing the gap. Each reform effort strives to be inclusive, comprehensive and persuasive. And many a time policy shifts happenquickly. Short-term and partial successes follow; being perceived as pro-children is also good for the image of a government.

Since good policy-making for children is a win-win situation politically, why is it that to date, policies have failed to make enough impact?

The ground reality is that the situation of children cannot be bettered without addressing the problems of the adults in their lives. So, provision of food supplements, for instance, would be of no value if the child is forced to become a migrant owing to its parents' unemployment.

This means that a child's right to food can be ensured only when the parents have the right to employment. The government's refusal to assure every adult an annual income, adequate to provide for a family, ends up hurting children. Thus, providing quality services for children is of little consequence if the parents and guardians are unable to ensure access to them.

Uniformly, India's policies for children fail to locate their interests within the wider social context. Instead of understanding the reality and evolving relevant policy responses, policy-influencers select portions of a complex problem and merely address these. The failure to place children's interests within their home and social milieu, in turn, produces flawed policies, inadequately designed programmes and increasing frustrations in the field.

So what would a policy revolution for children involve? Policies that acknowledge the connections between the children and the adults in their lives. This would mean, for instance, linking the guarantee of elementary education for all with adult employment, day-care facilities, quality healthcare and adequate nutritious food for both children and adults.

At a Children's Day ceremony last year, President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam made the gathered children to promise, "I will pursue my education and do my work sincerely. I will plant at least five saplings. I will try to alleviate the sufferings of poor people and those in distress. I will never discriminate against anyone on the basis of caste, creed or religion. I will remain honest and try to weed out corruption from society."

If children promise to link their education with transforming India for the better, should it be so difficult for adults to think less of piecemeal reform, and more of a holistic solution? One that links bettering their childhood with improving the quality of life of the adults in their lives? As children and communities voice aspirations, demand their rights and together with other aware citizens, hold government and society accountable to each child, transformation will surely happen.

(The author is General Manager - Policy & Research, CRY)

Picture by V. Sudershan

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