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THE EVENTS : MARCH 2008 Gender Budgeting The representative of this Ministry of women and Child Development made a power point presentation on the concept, tools and strategies of Gender budgeting in India at ASCI, Hyderabad on 6 and 7 March 2008 before a 30-member delegation from Afghanistan. FOOD AND NUTRITION BOARD Exhibition on Nutrition: Food and Nutrition Board organised an Exhibition on Nutrition from 8-10 March 2008 on the lawns of India Gate on the occasion of International Women’s Day Celebrations, 2008 as a historic event. The Exhibition was inaugurated by Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Somanath Chatterjee in the presence of Smt. Renuka Chowdhury, Hon’ble Minister of State for WCD (Independent Charge) on 8 March 2008. A Wall Calendar on Nutrition for the year 2008-09 and a booklet on Nutritious Recipes for complementary feeding for infants and young children were also released by the Hon’ble Speaker. Shri Anil Kumar, Secretary (Women and Child Development) delivered the key note address. Earlier, Ms. P. Bolina, Joint Secretary (Women and Child Development) welcomed the Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha, Hon’ble Minister of State for WCD and the august gathering. Dr. Jai Singh, Technical Adviser (In-charge) of FNB delivered the vote of thanks. About 45 panels depicting the nutrition scenario in the country, simple and economical sources of food for better nutrition for infants, young children, pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls and family were put up. Important nutrition messages conveying Dos and Don’ts for good health were also exhibited. Prevention of Trafficking The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) in partnership with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) and Corporate Sector organised a Conference on Issues of Trafficking in Supply Chains in Garment Industry on 15 March 2008. Secretary, MWCD delivered the inaugural address on the need and priority to prevent trafficking of vulnerable sections of population, especially women and children. Consultative Committee Meeting The meeting of the Consultative Committee of Parliament on Malnutrition was held under the Chairpersonship of Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) on 18 March 2008 in the Parliament House Annexe. The Committee recommended strengthening the infrastructure of Food and Nutrition Board to make its presence felt up to the district level to eradicate malnutrition in the country by way of nutrition education and awareness, which is a long-term sustainable intervention. Government offers Rs. 1 lakh if girl turns 18 Scheme To Help Correct Gender Ratio in 5 States India is getting serious about saving the girl child, both born and unborn. In a serious bid to save the girl child, government has decided to launch a scheme which will provide upto Rs. 1.4 lakh each to families of girl child in the 10 poorest districts and those having the worst gender ratio in 5 states, including Punjab and Haryana, where female foeticide is rampant. Ministary of Women and Child Development is giving final shape to the scheme which is also to be implemented in Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand in collaboration with Life Insurance Corporation of India. MWCD Newsletter Sampark Volume 4 Issue 3 14 Jan-Mar08.pmd 14 5/12/2008, 8:19 PM
Parliamentary Standing Committee A Meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development for examination of Demands for Grants (2008-09) of the Ministry of Women and Child Development was held on 28 March 2008 under the Chairmanship of Shri Janardan Dwivedi in Parliament Annexe. Secretary (WCD) made an in-depth presentation on the schemes and programmes of the Ministry and its achievements as well as the initiatives for 2008-09. The committee deliberated on various issues pertaining to the Ministry on the Demands for Grants 2008-09. Panel to Decide Upper Age Limit of Childhood When does childhood end? At 18, when a girl can marry; 16, when she can give consent for sex; or 14, when a person can work in hazardous jobs? These legal ambiguities may soon be history with moves afoot to hammer out a uniform definition of “child” in India. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has constituted a committee, comprising representatives from ministries of HRD, labour and women and child development, to redefine the upper age limit of childhood in the country. The committee, chaired by NCPCR member Deepa Dikshit, is likely to follow the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child while arriving at a common age, after which a person should not be legally regarded as a child. According to Article 1 of United Nations Convention on Rights of Child (UNCRC), “a child means every human being below the age of 18 years unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier”. The Article, however, grants individual countries the discretion to determine by law whether childhood ceases at 12, 14, 16 or whatever age is found appropriate. Being a signatory to UNCRC, NCPCR in its preamble, vows to protect the rights of anyone under the age of 18. Having a single definition of childhood age will have far-reaching consequences. “There are multiple variations in India about the definition of a child. NCPCR believes that UNCRC’s definition of a child should be universally accepted by the government for right to education, prevention of child labour, booking anyone under criminal law or any other purpose. This would certainly be a step forward for protection of child rights in education, as lakhs of children in the age group of 15-18 years will then be able to avail of government schemes of free and compulsory education. Currently the right to education is restricted to the age of 14, when a child is in Class VIII or IX. There should be compulsory education till 18 years, when they can at least study till Class XII, NCPCR chairperson Shantha Sinha told TOI. There are wide variations regarding the definition of a child in India. For purposes of legal protection against kidnapping and related offences, it’s 16 years for boys and 18 for girls. But for special treatment under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000, the age is 18 for both boys and girls. And the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 defines a child as any person below the age of 18, and includes an adopted step or foster child. “Article 21A of the Constitution of India says that the state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children within the ages of six and 14, while Article 45 specifies that the state shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six.” Sinha said. The Times of India, 14 January 2008 MWCD Newsletter Sampark Volume 4 Issue 3 15 Jan-Mar08.pmd 15 5/12/2008, 8:19 PM
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