Description
New Century Publications Child Rights and the Law Socio Economic Digital and Social Media Perspectives by Ali Mohd Wasim Et Al
India has 472 million children under the age of 18, accounting for 39 percent of the total population. Out of this, 29 percent are children aged 0 to 6 years. Furthermore, 73 percent of the children in India reside in rural areas, where they frequently lack access to basic requirements such as nutrition, healthcare, education, and protection. Promoting children’s rights has been government’s utmost priority in India. Rights of children are incorporated in the Constitution of India and duly protected under various laws.Despite this, children continue to face obstacles while accessing these rights, notably those linked to education, labour, and child marriage. It is heartbreaking to see abandoned children wandering in the streets and fending for themselves. Regrettably, many of them face assaults and even violence. Furthermore, they are deprived of basic educational and medical facilities too.Most countries, including India, still hold the belief that children are property of their parents. Children are not perceived as beings with a free will to take decisions for themselves coupled with having little economic power and almost no voice in politics.Several laws—including the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015; the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006; the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986; the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and others—have been enacted in recent years to protect children. To an extent, these laws have helped in mitigating child neglect, ill treatment, and violence against children. However, in spite of these progressive legislations, children are exposed to cruel and inhumane treatment by perpetrators, resulting in violation of their basic rights. Crime rate against children has increased in recent years, thereby multiplying the backlog in special Children’s Courts. Irrespective of the fact that courts as well as State governments have taken numerous measures, including appointing special prosecutors, special police units, and children’s courts, an effective monitoring system is required to ensure that children are safe and secure from cradle to grave.The present book incorporates 9 research pieces that provide an in depth analysis of concerns pertaining to child rights. These contributions, written by specialists in the area, add to the current repository of knowledge and dialogue on child rights and legal framework. The book focuses on modern and pragmatic perspectives on the subject and would be valuable in learning and understanding the varied aspects of child rights.