May 16, 2009

NEW DELHI: They don't have a vote. And it appears that for most election contestants, they may as well have not existed. A survey by child rights group Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) shows that of the 476 candidates whose election campaigns they tracked, only 49 — about 10.3% — had child rights on their agenda.

"Children are still off our politicians' radar. While political parties are wooing the parents, they are not interested in their children's future," says Kailash Satyarthi of BBA.

According to the survey, which covered 175 constituencies in 18 states and six Union Territories, only 39 candidates promised to address the issue of child labour, 28 primary education and seven education. Only seven mentioned other issues such as health and nutrition. Nineteen BJP candidates had elimination of child-labour on their agendas and 16 Congress spoke on primary education. While these figures are far from encouraging, SP, BSP and the Left parties fare even worse with respect to child rights, says the study.

"Whenever we meet them or invite them to an event, party members and candidates are always willing to come. But what is important is to raise these issues in a forum that matters. There are few discussions in the parliament on children's issues and ones that do happen, are perfunctory and last only minutes," says Gerry Pinto, consultant with child rights NGO Butterflies. "There is no commission, no lobby," he continues, "This is not a vote issue and MPs we do speak to promise to initiate a discussion in Parliament but do not get clearance from parties."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Children-of-a-lesser-God-Netas-dont-
care/articleshow/4537351.cms