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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

She hopes her cause becomes redundant

— Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

Shantha Sinha.

As the Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, she sincerely hopes that her cause becomes redundant, “You should not require child defenders to organise themselves. It should be a part of the culture,” she says. Shantha Sinha, who was in Chennai recently, spoke to Sruthi Krishnan about transformations that imply a better tomorrow — a society which cares for its children.

While teaching Political Science at the University of Hyderabad in the mid-80s, Ms. Sinha realised that she needed to have a better understanding of rural poor to do justice to her course. It was a time when there were lots of organisations and trade unions fighting for adult labourers and almost none for child rights.

“We found that 40 per cent of rescued bonded labourers were children,” a figure that set her off on a mission to fight for the rights of the child.

“There is a vast difference between 1986 and 2006,” she says, tracing the mood of the people from the time when the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 was drafted. The Act includes children only up to 14 years of age. “We have a new generation of parents. They have witnessed tangible results of what education can do. They could have been denied their right to education, but they want to make sure that their children have it,” she says.

“A combination of various factors has created a groundswell in the demand for education.” Poverty is no more seen as a reason not to educate, thanks to the efforts of civil society organisations.

Awareness of government programmes has made education a legitimate demand in the minds of people. “The Act needs to be revisited in view of this demand. The age has to be increased to 18 years, because a child not going to school is working.”

A reclaimed childhood redeems parents too. “When we encourage children to come to school, parents do not agree because they are uncertain about what to expect. Within a month of their child going to school, they change their view. They feel like a parent seeing their child become a child. A certain pride emerges,” she says, adding: “It is a beautiful transformation.”

Missionary zeal

Additional effort is needed initially to spur the process, “Not in terms of funding, but in terms of missionary zeal. Afterwards, it takes its own logic.”

It is a mammoth task, but, “I have never felt cynicism,” she says. “I get perturbed by others getting cynical. Being cynical is very status-quo-ish,” she speaks out of conviction rooted in a view from the trenches.

Every month sees her travelling to at least two states. “In Chattisgarh, the issue is the impact of civil unrest on children. In Rajasthan and Gujarat, children are working on hybrid cotton seeds. In Manipur, the issue is HIV/AIDS,” she says, ticking off to-do items on a national agenda. Her approach is research followed by ground-level investigation, “We go prepared, but with an open mind so that we learn,” she says.

Rare periods of leisure snatched between her hectic schedules are reserved for her grandson. “I also watch Tamil serials,” she smiles, “I like Radhikaa in Arasi. She is so good!”

The last book she read was on children with HIV/AIDS and another on children caught in conflict. “I read so much on child rights that I don’t have time for fiction,” she says. Not once does she use the word work to describe her activities. “If you enjoy doing what you do, it cannot be work...”

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