Comments
In the backdrop of haunting images of battered children in Aleppo, UNICEF, which took birth in the aftermath of World War II, has completed 70 years of working for the betterment of children threatened by conflict, crisis, poverty, inequality and discrimination in over 190 countries, including India.
“UNICEF was founded after World War II to bring help and hope to all children at risk or in need… Our mission is no less urgent and universal today,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake in a press release.
In India, UNICEF has been working closely with the government in various fields, such as child health, nutrition, education and sanitation.
Speaking at the UNICEF@70 celebrations held here on Monday, Louis Georges Arsenault, UNICEF India Representative, said: “UNICEF’s journey in India has been a remarkable story of commitment, perseverance and learning that has helped millions of children realise their dreams for a better future.”
Miles to goHe, however, pointed out that despite this, millions of children are still being left behind because they live in poverty or hard-to-reach communities, and because of gender, race, religion, ethnic group, or disability.
“India needs to improve efficiency of delivery (of flagship schemes),” he told reporters, adding that the quality of public education needs to improve and become more inclusive, along with partnerships with civil society and the private sector.
Arsenault said he had written to the government suggesting the Right to Education Act be extended to pre-school children (3-6 years) and till at least the age of 16 years to truly make a difference to children’s future and prevent drop-outs and ensure more equity.
“Currently, more than 6 million children in India are out of school; around 10 million children are engaged in work, close to 3,200 children die every day before reaching age five; 39 per cent of under-five children are stunted; and almost half the population of India, about 564 million people, need access to toilets,” UNICEF said.
Comments
COMMENT NOW
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.