👶 What Are Child Rights?
Child Rights are the special human rights given to all individuals below the age of 18. These rights exist because children are more vulnerable than adults — they depend on others for care, protection, and development, and they need extra safeguards to grow into healthy, educated, and empowered individuals.
Child rights are about more than just survival — they are about education, freedom, dignity, protection, play, and participation. Every child, no matter their background, has the right to grow in a safe, nurturing, and respectful environment.
CHRC works to ensure that every child’s voice is heard, every need is met, and every right is protected.
📜 Legal & Constitutional Protection of Child Rights in India
India is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and our Constitution and laws uphold these rights.
🧑⚖️ Constitutional Provisions for Children:
- 📚 Article 21A – Free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14
- 🛡️ Article 15(3) – Allows special laws and provisions for children
- 🚫 Article 24 – Prohibits child labour in hazardous occupations
- ⚖️ Article 39(e)(f) – Ensures health, dignity, and equal opportunities for children
Key Child-Specific Laws in India include:
- 👧 The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012
- 🎓 The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE)
- 🚫 The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
- 🧒 Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
- 🚫 Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016
- 🍼 The Infant Milk Substitutes Act (IMS), 1992
- 🧾 National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) – ensures policy monitoring and implementation
These laws create a framework to protect children’s rights in all domains of life — from education and health to safety and identity.
🧸 The 4 Core Rights of a Child
The UNCRC classifies children’s rights into four key categories:
🛡️ Right to Survival
- Includes the right to life, proper nutrition, healthcare, and shelter.
📚 Right to Development
- Access to education, emotional care, leisure, and skills development.
🧑⚖️ Right to Protection
- Freedom from abuse, exploitation, neglect, child trafficking, and harmful practices.
🗣️ Right to Participation
- Freedom to express opinions, be heard in decisions affecting them, and participate in civic activities appropriate to their age.
Every policy or action concerning children should uphold all four pillars equally.
⚠️ Common Violations of Child Rights
Despite strong laws, many children in India face daily violations of their rights:
- 🚫 Child labour in homes, shops, factories, farms, and hotels
- 👰 Child marriages still occurring in rural and urban areas
- ❌ Denial of education due to poverty, gender bias, or remote location
- 🍛 Malnutrition and lack of access to clean water or food
- 😔 Physical and sexual abuse in homes, schools, shelters, or on the streets
- 👶 Human trafficking of children for forced labour or illegal adoption
- 💼 Unjust treatment in juvenile homes or conflict with the law
- 🧾 Lack of birth certificates and identity documents
CHRC believes every child deserves a childhood — not fear, labour, or abuse.
🏫 Right to Education (RTE)
Education is one of the most powerful tools for a child’s empowerment.
India’s RTE Act guarantees:
- 🏫 Free and compulsory education for all children aged 6–14
- 📚 No school fees, no donation or capitation fees
- 📖 Textbooks and uniforms provided for free in government schools
- 🚫 No physical punishment or mental harassment
- 🧑🏫 Special support for girls, disabled children, and those from disadvantaged communities
- 📜 Recognition and regulation of private schools to maintain standards
Education is not a privilege — it is a right.
🚫 Child Labour and Exploitation
Despite the law, child labour continues due to poverty, lack of awareness, and negligence. According to the law:
- ❌ Children below 14 cannot be employed in any occupation
- 🛑 Adolescents aged 14–18 cannot be employed in hazardous work
- 👮 Employers violating the law face strict punishment and fines
CHRC actively campaigns to rescue, rehabilitate, and reintegrate child labour victims, and promotes safe environments for learning and growth.
👶 Protection from Abuse and Violence
Children must be protected from all forms of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. CHRC supports:
- 🛡️ Strict implementation of the POCSO Act
- 🚨 Prompt action on complaints of abuse in homes, schools, hostels, and institutions
- 🧑⚖️ Child-friendly investigation and fast-track courts
- 💬 Psychological and social counseling for survivors
- 🧑🏫 Training teachers, guardians, and children to recognize and report abuse
Silence enables abuse. Awareness, support, and reporting can stop it.
🧒 What CHRC Does for Children
CHRC has a dedicated Child Rights Cell working across India for child protection and development. Our actions include:
- 🎓 Conducting awareness drives in schools and communities
- 👨👩👧 Promoting child-friendly parenting, especially in vulnerable families
- 📋 Assisting in filing child rights violation complaints
- 🧑⚖️ Supporting victims with legal aid, rehab, and shelter assistance
- 📢 Advocating for policies on child welfare, education, and safety
- 🤝 Working with child welfare committees, juvenile homes, and NGOs
- 📚 Promoting child participation in civic discussions and leadership
We believe that every child deserves love, care, education, and protection — without compromise.
🙋♂️ What You Can Do to Protect Child Rights
Child rights protection is not the job of governments alone — every citizen can make a difference:
- 👀 Be alert to signs of abuse or child labour around you
- 🧑🏫 Educate children on their rights in age-appropriate ways
- 📞 Report violations to child helplines or CHRC
- 📚 Support NGOs or initiatives promoting education and health for children
- 🚫 Refuse to employ children for domestic or business help
- 🧾 Help families get birth certificates and ID documents for their kids
- 📣 Speak up if schools or teachers deny children their rights
- 🎁 Sponsor school kits, hygiene kits, or digital access for underprivileged children
Even small steps can transform a child’s future.
📞 How to Report Child Rights Violations
If you see a child in distress or witness rights being violated, act immediately:
- ☎️ Call the Childline – 📱 1098 (toll-free, 24×7)
- 🖥️ Visit the NCPCR complaint portal: ncpcr.gov.in
- 📝 Submit a report via CHRC’s online complaint form
- 📧 Email CHRC with full details and supporting documents
- 🏢 Reach out to your District Child Welfare Committee (CWC)
Delays can cause irreversible harm. When in doubt, report — you could save a child.
🌈 Final Words
Children are not just the future — they are the present that needs protection today. Every right granted to a child is a promise to the future of the nation.
At CHRC, we are committed to ensuring that every child smiles with safety, learns with freedom, and dreams with dignity.
Let’s create a world where no child is left behind, where childhood is joyful, and where every child counts.
