Let’s Protect India’s Girls From Child Marriage
Millions of young girls live in underprivileged communities. All girls must be able to access their fundamental rights, such as education, protection from harm, and quality healthcare. Sadly, girls are still not welcomed in many homes and are viewed as a financial liability in some areas. She is not allowed to be born, and even if she does, there are many obstacles standing in the way of young girls leading equal-opportunity lives. Young girls are particularly vulnerable to abuse, violence, and neglect because of the extreme poverty in their families. This leads to unsafe situations that do immediate and long-term harm to their well being.
Such conditions frequently result in child marriage, which is one of the most common types of child abuse. One-third of child brides worldwide are from India, according to UNICEF 2014. Due to this, many girls experience sexual assault and other forms of exploitation, especially those under the age of 18.
Instead of becoming child brides, young girls must attend school. According to UNICEF, 60% of girls who married before the age of 15 gave birth before turning 18 years. Instead of going to school or playing with other children their age, girls get married. They are prevented from learning and developing which subsequently hinders their adolescent years. Child marriage worsens the economic conditions for future generations rather than improving them.
Every child is entitled to a joyful, healthy, and creative childhood, according to CRY America, an NGO for children. The goal of CRY America is to eradicate the practice of child marriage, and ensure that disadvantaged children finish school, receive a healthy diet, and have access to high-quality healthcare. You can donate to charity to help improve the lives of underprivileged children, besides the 700,000 children that CRY America has already impacted since 2004.
Let’s Protect Underserved Children From Ill Health
The physical, mental, and cognitive growth of a child depends on the availability of wholesome food and basic healthcare. To avoid long-term and irreversible ill-health, all children need to consistently consume adequate nutrition.
Therefore, it is essential to spread awareness on preserving and fostering good health of children. The reality is that in India, every third child under the age of five suffers from chronic undernutrition (NFHS 4, 2016). Every country's future depends on its children who should receive the best care possible.
All children need to eat regular, wholesome, and nutritious meals every single day. However, children under the age of 5 make-up 60% of the anemic population (NFHS 4, 2015-2016). Malnutrition in India is still a problem since the deprivation causes children to become anemic and underweight. These figures show that many children, starting at birth, are in critical need of fundamental resources for their whole development. Children require resources like medical treatment for their well-being, from routine checkups to parental knowledge.
In India, malnourishment causes 69% of deaths among children under the age of five (UNICEF, 2019), therefore CRY strives to make sure that children have access to quality medical treatment. Only 17% of children in CRY Project areas are underweight, compared to 32% of all children in India, according to NFHS 5. This implies that CRY Projects are working hard to address and prevent the issue of malnutrition.
If you want to help make a difference, you can donate to charity. CRY America is a reputable NGO for children that focuses on health and nutrition programs to help reduce the infant mortality rate (IMR), the child mortality rate (CMR), and the maternal mortality rate (MMR). Let's help prevent malnutrition among India's disadvantaged children and offer them a chance at a healthier future. Your contribution can help make a considerable difference in the lives of underprivileged children.
Marginalized Children In India Must Be Protected From Child Labor
All children have fundamental rights, as stated by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and acknowledged across the world. And yet, innumerable children continue to be a part of some of the worst situations imaginable.
Child labor is still practiced across many countries, including India. Children who work as laborers are robbed of a safe upbringing and the joyful learning experiences that should have filled their formative years. Many of these child laborers never go to school or are asked to drop out. After leaving school, they immerse themselves in their job to the point where they are unable to acquire new skills and credentials required to fill professions with a steady income. India is losing out on a workforce that is educated and skilled, both of which are necessary to advance the nation's economy.
When children are employed at a young age, they face varied detrimental effects on their mental, physical, social, and/or moral health. Work that interferes with a child's education is also considered to be child labor, as is any activity that has a negative effect on the respective child’s potential, dignity, physical development, and mental growth.
To ensure that underprivileged children don't miss out on a happy and healthy upbringing, the practice of child labor must end, and a zero-tolerance policy must be incorporated across the country. According to Census 2011, over 33 million children between the ages of 6 and 18 work as child laborers in India. This number is increasing as more disadvantaged children are working and supporting their families due to poverty and the effects of COVID.
Since 2004, CRY America, a 501c3 registered NGO in the USA, has helped create more than 700,000 happy childhoods across 4,100 villages/slums, of which 2,585 villages/slums are now 100% child labor free. CRY America works with the project teams, varied communities, government agencies, and the children themselves, to address their pressing needs, in order to create long-lasting change. It is time to reach out to more communities and enable marginalized children to have more promising futures. Donate now to also save tax on your donation!
Let’s Protect India’s Young Girls From Child Marriage
India is home to millions of young girls who hail from underprivileged communities. All girls must be able to access their fundamental rights yet the girl child is not welcome in many such homes. They are still seen as a burden as well as a financial liability that need to be dealt with, preferably married off soon. In many cases, the girl child is not allowed to be born in the first case, and even if she does, there are many obstacles standing in the way of young girls leading an equal-opportunity life.
Child marriage is one of the most prevalent forms of exploitation and sexual abuse that at-risk girls face under the age of 18. It is still practiced in all Indian states, although it is most prevalent in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. UNICEF 2014 further shows that one in three child brides worldwide is from India.
Innumerable girls suffer as their dreams shatter and future prospects diminish due to the complex issue of child marriage and early childbirth. Both urban and rural sections of India continue to practice these illegally. As more young girls are married off at an early age to ease the financial burden on the family, the problem is only becoming worse. India is witnessing an increase in child marriage cases in recent years as a result of the loss of livelihoods brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
India has about 12 million married children, 70% of whom are female, according to the Census 2011. Child marriage deprives children of their fundamental rights of safety and protection, access to regular education, and proper health and nutrition, among others. Child marriage, on the other hand, blatantly violates their birthright and sets them up for a life of abuse and exploitation. Many disadvantaged children are still caught in the cycle of poverty that affects their overall development and even attacks future generations.
To help address the issue and work on constructive and effective solutions, CRY America, a non-governmental organization, has been supporting marginalized children since 2004. CRY America has helped create more than 700,000 happy childhoods and aims to create brighter futures for many more! Your generous contribution can help protect young girls from child marriage. Donate to charity by supporting CRY America now!
