Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Nina Nayak said here on Tuesday that the civil society should actively work towards protection of child rights.
Ms. Nayak was speaking at the silver jubilee celebrations of Prajna Counselling Centre. “The least you could do is to visit the school or anganwadi near your house and check the conditions there,” she said.
Ms. Nayak said that there were about 170 million children in the country who were still denied of joyful learning. Though the government had many schemes for children's development, they were yet to reach them. “You need to find the reason why facilities were not reaching the nearby schools and anganwadis. It's your money that is involved and you have every right to know about its working,” she said.
The condition of children has been poor in the country. Every 15 minutes, there were 47 child deaths.
There was lack of awareness about the rights of children. “We get queries (from schools) about the ingredients necessary for preparing mid-day meals,” she said. Though there were acts and policies of the government, many did not reach children, she added.
Ms. Nayak said that she had noticed several shortcomings during her visits to different parts of the State. At some places girls refused to go to school as there was only one toilet. At one school, computers were found in a room that had been locked. Though statement of accounts showed about the purchase of toys, not a single toy was seen with children in an anganwadi centre, she said.
She said people visiting nearby schools, anganwadi centres, and hostels could check the food provided and whether all teachers were attending the school. “We should see that all children get facilities that they ought to get.”
Ms. Nayak said that the commission had been receiving a large number of complaints of violation of child rights from Dakshina Kannada
