“But baideo (Assamese: sister), I am earning enough to feed myself and my mother a humble one-time meal per day. Why do I need to go to school anyway?,” said Raju (name changed), a 13-year-old boy who works at a roadside tea stall in Guwahati. From his perspective, he is somewhat correct. Assam has been witness to a large number of desolate children under the clutches of poverty, like Raju. “If working in bits can let me go to bed with a full stomach, then why not?”

Guwahati, being the most populated and popular city in northeast India, is no exception to the common phenomenon of a large (and scary) number of children living on streets, as can be observed in other ‘metropolitan’ cities in India. Guwahati is estimated to be home to more than 5,000 street children, most of them either begging on the streets or performing mundane labour. A report by Al-Jazeera states that one of the main causes of poverty in Assam is the failure to properly implement the Plantation Labour Act, 1951, which was meant to delineate the rights and privileges of tea estate workers. Interestingly, what you can observe in Guwahati is that most of these poverty-stricken children work in small tea stalls to earn their wages. See the irony here?

The open secret is that Assam has been facing two major problems for the past few years –

Assam Floods

Around 40,000 residents (so far) have become homeless in 2017 alone, due to floods. Although around 128 relief camps have been set up to rehabilitate the affected, for some it becomes quite a difficult process to return to their previous economic state. Most children currently living on the streets are survivors of floods over the years, which rendered them homeless (and some, orphans).

Illegal Immigration

This issue has been much talked about for quite some time. Without digging too deep into the issue, what I want to point out is that one of the repercussions of such immigration is the sheer number of desolate children you can see on streets. The biggest dilemma is providing legal human rights to these children – should they or shouldn’t they be provided with basic human rights? There are various schools of thoughts which are constantly debating this.

Nevertheless, when it comes to Assam – or Guwahati in particular – it has been estimated that these two issues together comprise the two biggest reasons for children to be living on streets. The most convenient way for these children to survive is working for wages – what we call ‘child labour’. “In Assam, overall 4.9% children between the ages of 5-14 years are engaged in some form of child labour which is higher than the national average of 4.5%,” states the Eclectic Northeast Assam.

Without our knowledge, our house help’s daughter was sent outside Assam by her parents, in the ‘safe’ hands of a man who promised to provide ‘work’ for the girl and send regular money to her parents. The worst part is, we came to know about it later and couldn’t do anything about it. But after much investigation, the girl was brought back to her parents. So where was she, and what ‘work’ was she doing? What we learnt is that she was supposed to serve as a ‘wife’ to an old man with four sons in Haryana. Trafficking has been on the rise in the region. Especially for the children living on streets, this has become a nightmare.

As per the aforementioned Al-Jazeera report, at least 4,754 children in Assam have gone missing since 2012, of which 2,753 are girls.

Leading lives with no means or direction, where do these kids find their ultimate solace? The answer is ‘abusive substances’. According to World Health Organization, an estimated 25-90% of street children globally indulge in substance use. The dark corners of Guwahati are darker than you can imagine, with a number of street children partaking of abusive substances, dendrite being the most popular among those.

As you can see, every malicious occurring is linked to another and is an indication of another one happening. Once you fall into this vicious circle, there is no easy way out. Firstly, we need to find the absolute grassroots factors which give rise to such problems. Is sending children to schools the solution? A recent incident in a remote school in Assam shook our faith in the safety of schools. A teacher posing with his female students in an unacceptable manner to click photos. Is that what we want out of a school? This shocking incident makes me think all over again – what difference does it make if someone goes to school or not?

It is commendable that many NGOs in Guwahati are now working towards the well-being of these children. It is worth mentioning that there are even cases where these NGOs have taken bold steps towards bringing back children from the clutches of money makers. Providing these children with basic rights like shelter, food, and clothing, along with proper moral education, must be a priority. Because these ‘invisibles’ will someday grow up to become the torch-bearers of society.

The post Child Labour, Trafficking, Drugs: The Hidden Lives Of Over 5,000 Children In Guwahati appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

We have all had (or at least known) that one friend who brought an electronic cigarette (or e-cigarette) so that they could quit smoking. The assumption at play? That while cigarettes are harmful and while tobacco causes diseases like cancer and heart diseases, e-cigarettes are harmless, benign, and pose zero health risks. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

That e-cigarettes and e-shishas help in quitting smoking is only one of the many popular myths that surround their sale and usage. The truth is that researchers (unless they are funded by tobacco companies) argue that transnational tobacco companies make use of deceptive health claims to market e-cigarettes to target young consumers and encourage them to smoke.

In a country where 8-9 lakh people die of tobacco related diseases every year, this trend is obviously problematic. Add to this the fact that sale of e-cigarettes isn’t regulated in India (except in Karnataka, Kerala and Punjab where they are banned under food and drug laws and regulations) and the problem becomes bigger.

Considering the rise in their sale and consumption in recent years (the Union health minister told the parliament in December 2015 that the import of e-cigarettes had risen by almost 100% between 2012-13 and 2015-16), it becomes essential to question the myths surrounding this smoking device.

Here we debunk the most popular myths associated with e-cigarettes/e-shishas:

1. E-Cigarette Smoke Doesn’t Have As Many Toxicants As Cigarettes

A study conducted by the Dutch health ministry found that although e-cigarettes have lower concentration of some cigarette-specific toxic chemical compounds (like tobacco-specific nitrosamines), e-cigarettes have their own toxicants (like polyols and aldehydes), that sometimes exist in higher concentrations than in cigarette smoke.

2. E-Cigarettes/E-Shishas Won’t Give Me  Cancer

If you are smoking a nicotine containing e-cigarettes or e-shisha, there is little respite for you. Nicotine by itself isn’t a carcinogen – but it does promote tumours and malignant diseases. After all, cigarettes have been around for a while and there is plenty of research that shows that nicotine, the chemical that drives people to smoking, is harmful for you.

Even non-nicotine e-cigarettes contain heavy metals. And prolonged use of even these e-cigarettes can lead to cancer. More research, however, needs to be conducted before we can directly correlate the amount of heavy metals consumed through e-cigarettes to cancer.

3. E-Cigarettes/E-Shishas Help In Quitting Smoking

This is another big myth. Nicotine in itself is considered highly addictive and can even lead you on to try other drugs. It’s not surprising to know then that the US’ National Institute On Drug Abuse has stated that ‘there is no conclusive scientific evidence on the effectiveness of e-cigarettes for long-term smoking cessation’.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that although there isn’t a clear association (chemically/biologically) between vaping and smoking, it also found that ‘use by minors who have never smoked at least doubles their chance of starting to smoke’.

Why is this myth out there then? Two Danish researchers reviewed 76 studies conducted on the content of the fluid/vapour of e-cigarettes and found ‘serious methodological problems’. “In 26 studies (34%), the authors had a conflict of interest. Most studies were funded or otherwise supported/influenced by manufacturers of ECs, but several authors had also been consultants for manufacturers of medicinal smoking cessation therapy,” the review says.

4. So You Mean To Say Go With E-Cigarettes With No Nicotine And Low Metal Content?

Maybe, but you will be doing that at your own risk. Metal content can vary across products and brands and you can try and choose ones which have low toxic substances. But how do you figure out if a company’s claims are true?

Take, for example, these three results from a laboratory analysis done by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA):

• The electronic cigarette cartridges that were labelled as containing no nicotine had low levels of nicotine present in all cartridges tested, except one.

• Three different electronic cigarette cartridges with the same label were tested and each cartridge emitted a markedly different amount of nicotine with each puff. The nicotine levels per puff ranged from 26.8 to 43.2 mcg nicotine/100 mL puff.

• One high-nicotine cartridge delivered twice as much nicotine to users when the vapour from that electronic cigarette brand was inhaled than was delivered by a sample of the nicotine inhalation product (used as a control) approved by FDA for use as a smoking cessation aid.

These results are from the US, which has some country-wide regulations for e-cigarettes at least. In India, where there are no guidelines or rules around them, the market remains almost completely unregulated. So, it is totally up to the consumer to test the veracity  of a company’s claims and make a decision!

5. How About Fruit Flavoured E-Cigarettes? Fruits Aren’t Harmful!

Until January 2014, there were close to 8,000 flavours of e-cigarettes available – but research on them remains scarce. Popcorn flavourants are, however, known to cause ‘excess rates of lung disease and lung-function abnormalities’. A study done specifically on cinnamon-flavoured e-cigarettes found that the flavourants are toxic for living cells.

Moreover, when it comes to perceptions, a study based on a 2014 survey done in the UK with 11-16-year-olds found that the perception of harmfulness of e-cigarettes was moderated by what flavour they came in. “Fruit and sweet flavours were perceived as more likely to be tried by young never smokers than adult smokers trying to quit,” the study says.

All things said, when tobacco companies are getting involved with vaping, one should always be a little cautious and do one’s own research – than take their claims at face value. These multinationals are known for their intense lobbying and secretive marketing that you as a consumer might not always be aware of.

When you hear ‘facts’ about e-cigarettes or e-shishas, beware of where they are coming from and how they were found.  Ultimately, it is your health that’s at risk. So practice exercising that extra caution before buying that e-cigarette and trusting your health with it!

_

Image Source: Vaping360/Flickr

The post 5 Things You Got Absolutely Wrong About E-Cigarettes And E-Shishas appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

हितेश शर्मा और अनिकेत सिंह:

‘बीड़ी’ यानि कि गरीब लोगों के लिए सिगरेट का विकल्प। ग्रामीण इलाकों में बीड़ी उद्योग लाखों लोगों को रोज़गार मुहैय्या करवाता है। बीड़ी गरीबों के लिए सिगरेट का विकल्प तो बन गया लेकिन इस उद्योग में काम करने वाले कामगारों की सेहत दिन ब दिन बद्तर होती जा रही है। इसके साथ बीड़ी बनाने का काम करने वाले मज़दूरों को तय मज़दूरी भी बमुश्किल ही मिल पाती है।

101 reporters के हितेश शर्मा और अनिकेत सिंह ने बीड़ी उद्योग के बारे में और इसमें काम कर रहे श्रमिकों की गंभीर स्थिति को जानने के लिए कुछ समय छत्तीसगढ़ में बिताया।

फोटो आभार: अनिकेत सिंह, छत्तीसगढ़

The post खतरे में है 80 लाख बीड़ी रोल करने वाले मज़दूरों की ज़िंदगी appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

By Shruti Sinha:

Commuting from one place to another is a fundamental attribute of our daily lives. The primary – and ideally – singular utility of roads is that of transit.

The basic and universal nature of transit makes resolving conflicts between different types of road users a vital component of the road safety narrative. Various types of road users, ranging from pedestrians and two-wheelers to cars and buses, occupy the roads simultaneously. Every category of road users comes with its set of needs and peculiarities. Interventions are planned in such a way that the needs of every type of road user are met, while also ensuring minimal clash and chaos.

However, given the high levels of economic disparities, unequal access to resources and unprecedented growth in population, a number of people have to live and work along the periphery of the roads. This further deepens the challenge of resolving the conflicts between road users.

A street child is widely defined as “any girl or boy who has not reached adulthood, for whom the street (in the broadest sense of the word, including unoccupied dwellings, wasteland, etc.) has become her or his habitual abode and/or sources of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, supervised or directed by responsible adults.”

According to UNICEF, India housed 11 million street children in 1994. Broadly categorised, the ‘children of the street’ are homeless, living and sleeping on the streets in urban areas. They may have been abandoned or rejected by families or had left their homes. The other category is ‘children on the street’, who earn their living or beg on the streets and return home at night.

Whatever be the category, one can safely assume that these children run a high risk of being injured and even dying in road crashes/accidents. Generally speaking, the former category is at a greater risk here.

What Makes Street Children Particularly Vulnerable To Road Crashes?

Amongst the various categories of road users, pedestrians and bicyclists face the highest exposure to the risk of road crashes. Going by the age-group typology, children, especially below the age of 14, are particularly vulnerable to road mishaps.

From a socio-economic lens, poorer communities tend to be at a higher risk of getting injured or dying as a result of road accidents. Studies conducted in different parts of the world have shown that-

1. Low income and poverty are associated with the largest number of child pedestrian crashes (in Memphis in the US).

2. The risk of pedestrian injury for children in the lowest socio-economic stratum is more than twice that of children of higher socio-economic categories ( in the UK).

In this regard, street children aged below 18 are at the intersection of belonging to the lowest socio-economic stratum and being pedestrians (by virtue of inhabiting roads) – thereby making them the most vulnerable to road mishaps.

Can The Existing Best Practices For Road Safety Ensure The Safety Of Street Children?

According to the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) in India, 69, 425 children in the age group 0-14 lost their lives to road accidents between 2006 and 2015. In 2015 alone, 15,633 lives, below the age of 18, were lost to the same. In the same year, 7088 pedestrians also lost their lives.

Thus, while existing official data quantifies the number of deaths among the different categories of road users and age groups, one cannot calculate the fatalities according to socio-economic categories. Moreover, given the ‘invisible’ and ‘marginalised’ status of ‘children of the streets’, data about road accidents among these groups remain absent. This makes it hard for policy makers to gauge the real situation.

The best international practices for the safety of pedestrians include building sidewalks, creating non-motorised road users-only zones and redesigning public spaces to cater to the specific needs of pedestrians – among other such interventions.

Measures to ensure the safety of children involve setting speed limits and ‘traffic-calming’ measures in areas particularly populated with children such as schools and children parks. Adult accountability (parental or any other person authorised to oversee children such as teachers) is recognised as paramount towards ensuring the safety of children on roads.

However, even if such interventions are implemented well, they cannot address the unique problem posed by street children. The problem is unique in the following ways:

1. In order to fulfil their bare minimum needs for survival, they must come out on the roads and be in contact with the traffic – as beggars and vendors.

2. Residing on and by the side of the roads increases their exposure to the traffic on the road.

3. The lack of adult accountability or of a person to take care of the children if their live is at peril leaves them with a non-existent support system.

Thus, apart from the increased risk of injury and deaths, these children are also on the margins when it comes to post-accident support and care.

The Way Forward

The solution to this peculiar and pressing challenge should definitely cut across various spheres in the policy arena.

First, there is a tremendous scope for improving in the way in which data is collected. Using the socio-economic lens while collecting and quantifying data can help provide a clearer perspective on the current situation.

Dedicated approaches to improving road safety – from unbiased and strict penalisation for road traffic violations (such as speeding and drunken driving) to improving emergency care – are indispensable. In this context, the passage of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016, will act as a milestone to setting the foundation for progressive interventions towards an improved road safety situation in India.

Additionally, interventions for vulnerable road users must be enacted and enforced while also keeping in mind the situation posed by street children (and adults).

Most importantly, all of the aforementioned interventions will permeate to this section of the population only when a consistent social welfare and equity approach, with measures to provide a basic, dignified life for those ‘of’ and ‘on’ the streets, are in place and expedited.

The author is a research associate in policy advocacy at the SaveLIFE Foundation.

Join our campaign to push our MPs to pass the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016, in the parliament on a priority basis at www.roadsafetyatrisk.in.

The post 15,000+ Indian Kids Killed In Road Accidents In 2015. What’s The Solution? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

Even though I think that the institutionalisation of children under difficult circumstances should be a debatable issue for child right activists, it has sometimes been offered as the most immediate solution to any threat to basic child rights by the authorities. It would not be silly to question whether the vulnerability that children feel decreases or increases once they spend their early years in an orphanage or children’s home.

I was taken aback by what I witnessed when I interned as a play therapist in one of the children’s homes in Himachal Pradesh, administered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Though the sight of such a home might initially seem soothing – with well-kept rooms, ample play area and a manageable group of 30 boys – more engagement would disclose harsh realities.

Firstly, the caregiver-child ratio was highly unsuitable to really meet the child’s basic requirements and set aside their need for educational and career related guidance. Secondly, the staff seemed highly incompetent to justify the positions they held. Often, they kept a strict check on children’s play-related activities, rarely encouraging them to do anything other than their academic work.

Once a boy entered the class completely in tears and kept quiet throughout the day. A bit of inquiry revealed that the superintendent had beaten him with a stick as he had entered the toilet barefoot. As it raised no eye-brows, I came to know that incidents like this were quite rampant.

Thirdly, meeting the emotional needs of these young children was a secondary concern of the functional authorities. Although a counsellor visited the place weekly, her interaction with children was rarely one-to-one and regular.

Being deeply shaken by the incident and the situation of the organisation, I initially tried to take all the children into my confidence by developing friendships and keeping their secret to myself. Eventually, I got a chance to talk to the counsellor about it who convinced me that she would look into the matter. Being just an intern, I tried to negotiate with the limited power I had but couldn’t accomplish much.

A long term solution in such a scenario would concern the role of the administration which should recruit only those personnel who are trained in working with children and have the skill-sets to develop environments to promote their holistic growth.

Secondly, such institutions should have a curriculum to provide various stimulations to the children and clear responsibilities should be assigned for its implementation. Also, the right of a child to participate is of paramount importance and needs to be recognised when evaluative measures for such programs are being conducted.

Children’s experiences and opinions are vital and need to be shared at different levels to guarantee that they have a role in directing their growth and ensuring safety.

The post I Was Shocked To See How Children Were Treated In A Govt-Run Home appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

I am Aditya Vasanti and I was brought up in SOS Children’s Village, Pune. I lost my parents at the age of four years – and I still don’t know who I am. Although I know that I am someone’s child, I still don’t have any identity.

Luckily, I found the SOS Children’s Village to be a family where I could have protection and find a new identity to survive in the mainstream society. Through their care and support, I have built my personality and become a responsible citizen of this country.

I have done my graduation and post-graduation in social work education. During this period, I travelled to many places and saw the situation of children in residential child-care set ups – especially in government-run children homes. It was really worse than what I had imagined. Children were put in these institutions as though they were in prison. Since childhood, they hadn’t been traced by/told about their families – and suddenly, after they reached 18 years of age, they were forced to leave the facility.

After coming out of the institution, there is no support system for these adolescents in the larger society. Most of them don’t even have a legal proof stating the community the person belongs to. And it is here that the problems start – with many youths getting trapped in social evils (like human trafficking, sex trade), crimes and addictions.

Further, the system no longer supports them, now that they have crossed the age of 18 years. Neither does the government implement policies or programmes to protect these youths from malpractices, nor is the community or society ready to provide shelter, support and consider them as a fellow human being.

Recently, I met Priya (name changed). She is an orphan, suffers from disabilities and has received education only till class four. While talking with me, she told me that the organisation in Pune that was supposed to take care of her transferred her to another organisation in Mumbai, due to her violent behaviour. However, in the new organisation she was lonely and very bad because she was treated badly by the organisation’s staff.

After she reached 18, the organisation forced her to leave. She came back to Pune to get back into the previous organisation. The sad part is that no one supported her or helped her build her confidence. Consequently, she started to look for jobs.

But again, things took a turn for the worse. The owner of the shop in Pune, where she found employment, trapped her in a sex racket – and she was abused and beaten up. However, within that racket, a man promised to marry her. She even gave birth to three girls, without the man even marrying her. When Priya realised that she was trapped, it was too late.

When she gathered enough courage to ask the man for support, he beat her up and threw her on the streets in the slums of Pune. Nobody came to front to protect her, even though she was completely helpless with her daughters. Initially, she begged to fill her stomach. However, one of her old ‘customers’ came and gave her some easy money. Even though this was risky, she accepted the money and started to satisfy her customer.

However, she kept her daughters in a children’s home where they get safety and basic facilities. And now, her daughters are growing up and they get a decent education with scholarships. But here again, there’s an ugly obstacle. The system has asked Priya’s daughters to produce their father’s detail, whereas the girls are not even aware of the status of their parents.

And now, Priya herself needs guidance and support on how to produce the required legal documents – when she doesn’t even have a legal identity, not to mention the lack of education and a supportive system. My question is: how will Priya become a citizen of this nation and who will help her become one? How will she get all the kindness and dignity she deserves?

I think there is not just one ‘Priya’ in India. There are many like her who have been facing various problems due to lack of care and protection (by the system) and acceptance (by the society).

_

Image used for representative purposes only

The post For Children Growing Up In Orphanages, Turning 18 Means Abandonment Again appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

“आओ बच्चों तुम्हें दिखाएं झांकी हिन्दुस्तान की, इस मिट्टी से तिलक करो ये धरती है बलिदान की; वंदे मातरम…।”

जागृति फिल्म का यह गीत सन 1954 में कवि प्रदीप ने लिखा था। देश आज़ाद हुए 70 साल हो गए और इन 70 सालों में बहुत कुछ बदल गया है। अब अगर आज बच्चों को हम हिन्दुस्तान दिखाएंगे तो उन्हें हर सड़क से लगे हुए फुटपाथ पर अपनी ही जैसी एक तस्वीर दिखेगी, लेकिन मैली! तब शायद हम उस मैली तस्वीर के बारे में कुछ इस तरह बता पाएंगे-

“देखो यह बस फुटपाथ नहीं यह तो आशियां है उन नौनिहालों के; हाथ में केतली, पेट में भूख लिए जो हिस्सेदार हैं कल के भारत वर्ष के;
वंदे मातरम…।”

केवल दिल्ली की सड़कों पर 70 हज़ार बच्चे फुटपाथ पर जीते हैं। इस परिदृश्य में गुलज़ार की यह कविता कितनी सटीक लगती है, कविता का शीर्षक है “हिन्दुस्तान उम्मीद से हैं” कविता का पहला पैराग्राफ है-

“हिन्दुस्तान में दो-दो हिन्दुस्तान दिखाई देते हैं।
एक है जिसका सर नवें बादल में है, दूसरा जिसका सर अभी दलदल में है।
एक है जो सतरंगी थाम के उठता है, दूसरा पैर उठाता है तो रुकता है।
फिरका-परस्ती, तौहम परस्ती और गरीबी रेखा, एक है दौड़ लगाने को तैयार खड़ा है।
‘अग्नि’ पर रख पर पांव उड़ जाने को तैयार खड़ा है।”

क्या आपने कभी इन दो हिन्दुस्तान को महसूस किया है? कभी मेट्रो से निकलते समय देखा है क्या? आप फोन पर बिज़ी हैं और आपके आगे-पीछे कोई घूम रहा है। आपके साथ कभी ऐसा हुआ है क्या? जब आप अपने दोस्त के साथ बात करने में बिज़ी हैं और वो आपके शरीर को हिलाकर इशारों में कुछ देने लिए के लिए बोल रहे हैं। कभी ऐसा हुआ है क्या? जब आप मोमोज़, भेलपुरी या चाट खा रहे हो, आइसक्रीम खा रहे हो तो कोई आपसे देने की ज़िद कर रहा हो। कभी ऐसा हुआ है क्या? जब तपती गर्मी में आप ठंडा पी रहे हो तो कोई पिला देने की ज़िद कर रहा या कर रही हो।

कभी ऐसा हुआ है क्या? जब आप रेडलाइट पर अपनी कार में बैठे हो और कोई आपकी कार के आधे खुले शीशे से पैन, कॉपी या कोई खिलौना खरीदने की ज़िद कर रहा हो। या अगर शीशा बंद करके आप गाड़ी के अंदर बैठे हो तो वो खिड़की पर हाथ मारकर आपको अपनी तरफ देखने के लिए कह रहा हो या कह रही हो। कभी ऐसा देखा है क्या? जब आप मेट्रो में घुस रहे हो तो कोई अपना ज़ख्म दिखाकर आपको कुछ देने की ज़िद कर रहा हो और आप अजीब सा चेहरा बनाकर मन में एक संशय लिए हुए पता नहीं क्या सच है, क्या झूठ सोचते हुए आगे बढ़ गए हो।

कभी रेडलाइट की रोशनी में किसी बच्चे को कॉपी-कलम चलाते देखा है क्या? कभी बड़ी-बड़ी सड़कों पर लंबी-लंबी ट्रैफ़िक की कतारों के बीच में किसी को करतब दिखाते हुए देखा है क्या? जब आप अपनी तलब बुझाने किसी चाय की दुकान पर जाते हैं तो उन नन्ही उंगलियों पर गौर किया है क्या? सब देखा है, सबने देखा है। कौन सी नई बात है, हमें तो इसकी आदत है, यह तो रोज़ की बात है… यही तो उस सड़क, उस फुटपाथ की कहानी है जहां से हम रोज़ गुज़रते हैं। कई बार हमें दया आती है तो हम कुछ दे देते हैं और कई बार हम झिड़क देते हैं।

2013 में एक सवाल का जवाब देते हुए महिला और बाल विकास मंत्री मेनका गांधी ने कहा था कि सरकार के पास सड़कों पर रहने वाले बच्चों का कोई तय आंकड़ा नहीं है। ना ही सरकार के पास ऐसी कोई प्रक्रिया है जिससे इन बच्चों की गिनती की जा सके। गैर सरकारी संगठन ‘डॉन बॉस्को नैशनल फोरम’ द्वारा ‘यंग एट रिस्क’ के लिए देश के 16 शहरों में 2013 में कराए गए सर्वेक्षण का हवाला देते हुए उन्होंने बताया कि सड़कों पर रहने वाले सबसे ज़्यादा बच्चे महानगरों में हैं।

दिल्ली में इन बच्चों की सबसे ज़्यादा संख्या 69976 है, इसके आलावा मुंबई में इन बच्चों की संख्या 16059, कोलकाता में 8287, चेन्नई में 2374 और बेंगलूरु में 7523 है। इस तरह देखें तो सड़कों पर रह रहे सबसे ज़्यादा बच्चे दिल्ली में और सबसे कम त्रिवेंद्रम में (150) हैं। यहां गौ़र करने वाली बात यह है कि यह आंकड़ा 2013 का है।

लगातार ट्रेन या बस से यात्रा करनी पड़ जाए तो हम सो नहीं पाते, दिक्कत होती है। घर से दूर बाहर का खाना खाने में हमें दिक्कत होती है। ठंड में या बरसात में हम समय पर घर आ जाना चाहते हैं, क्योंकि मौसम की वजह से दिक्कत होती है। दिल्ली की गर्मी में तो हम बाहर रह ही नहीं सकते, बिना कूलर और ए.सी. के सोच नहीं सकते, क्योंकि हमें दिक्कत होती है।

क्या हम बिना ‘छत’ जीवन जीने के बारे में सोच सकते हैं? शाम होते ही चिड़िया भी अपने घोंसले में चली जाती है। अब उनके बारे में सोचिए जो शाम होते ही अपने लिए फुटपाथ ढूंढते हैं।

दिल्ली जैसे महानगरों के दैत्याकार फ्लाइओवर की निचले हिस्से में अपने लिए जगह ढूंढते हैं। हम बिना पते के जीवन जी सकते हैं क्या? हमारा पता होता है, मकान नंबर, ब्लॉक, फ्लोर, पिन इत्यादि-इत्यादि। लेकिन उनका पता क्या है? दिल्ली की नाक कही जाने वाली कनॉट प्लेस का फुटपाथ या विकास का सूचक समझे जाने वाले किसी फ्लाइओवर का निचला हिस्सा। कौन हैं ये बच्चे? महिला एंव बाल विकास मंत्री मेनिका गांधी ने कहा था कि हम इन बच्चों को आधार और बर्थ सर्टिफिकेट से जोड़ रहे हैं, लेकिन युद्धस्तर पर आधी रात को जीएसटी लागू हो सकता है, युद्धस्तर पर नोटबंदी लागू हो सकता है तो युद्धस्तर पर इनके लिए कोई तैयारी क्यूं नहीं होती?

70 साल हो गए, क्या हम और आप इन बच्चों को देखकर ये क्या कह सकते हैं कि ये देश तुम्हारा है! अपनी आत्मा से एक बार सवाल पूछिए कि विश्व के सबसे बड़े लोकतंत्र में ये बच्चे कौन हैं? पूर्व राष्ट्रपति अब्दुल कलाम ने कहा था “चलो हम अपना आज कुर्बान करते हैं जिससे हमारे बच्चों को बेहतर कल मिले।” लेकिन हमने तो अपनी ऊर्जा हिन्दू- मुसलमान करने में लगा रखा है। रंगो की राजनीति में लगा रखी है! और जो बच जाता है उसे अपने परिवार के लिए लगा देते हैं! नतीजतन इन बच्चों का कल इनकी अपनी किस्मत के भरोसे हैं। इन सितारों को खोने से बचाइए, सब मिलकर आगे आइए।

“आ… देखो रातों के सीने पे ये तो, झिलमिल किसी लौ से उगे हैं, खो ना जाएं ये… तारे ज़मीन पर!”

The post कौन हैं ये बच्चे जो फ्लाईओवर के नीचे रहते हैं और फुटपाथ पर सोते हैं appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

As told to Abhishek Jha:

D* (14) came to the Udaan Rose Shelter, a full-care residential centre in Delhi for children in street situations, with trust issues. She had been abandoned by her foster family because they couldn’t understand her recurring mood swings. She was still angry with the family. Didn’t it occur to them to take her into confidence before they shipped her to the shelter home, D wondered.

When she came to us, she would keep to herself and had tendencies of harming herself. We enrolled her again in a formal school, gave her space and opportunity to vent her feelings, and provided her with platforms where she could exhibit her strengths. While this doesn’t mean that all her issues are resolved, still she has learnt to take charge of her life.

D is one among the many children I work with at Salaam Baalak Trust. In over seven years of my experience as a counselling psychologist with the trust, I have dealt with many children like her. I have dealt with street children who face depression, or are battling with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recently, we have also diagnosed many cases of autism.

While training to become a mental health professional, you learn to work with people with all kinds of mental health needs. When it comes to the mental health of street children, we have very little research to go on, in India. Coming into this practice, therefore, we don’t have any idea about the kind of issues these children face or even an understanding about how their needs are different from others.

For instance, almost all street children face neglect and harsh conditions. Of the 51,000 street children found in a Delhi census conducted by the Institute for Human Development and Save the Children in July-August 2010, about 70% were estimated to be engaged in child labour. Over 50% of the children were also estimated to have faced some form of physical or verbal abuse, including sexual abuse.

This doesn’t alter the clinical work much – since the foundation for treatment of trauma requires building quality therapeutic relationships among the therapist, the child and the caretakers – something we are taught from day one. But it requires efforts in other directions.

For example, there is a lack of parental support for these children, for obvious reasons. So, we need to create a structure to support them. For instance, we build a team of people who are sensitised to and understand the mental health issues of children and are able to support their emotional needs.

For this, we train the staff regularly on different aspects of mental health, including an understanding of how various disorders manifest. Other children at the centre are also mentored to handle a crisis situation with the staff and provide emotional support to children with difficulties, because they are the immediate family. For one, we have a ‘buddy’ system, where a child from within the home is selected to spend some time with another child who is facing mental health issues.

However, even in such cases, some children find it difficult to understand the situation of a child with self-harming tendencies. We still have a long way to go before we can change the thinking of such children, particularly because there is still a lot of stigma attached to these issues.

There are other challenges too, which make dealing with the mental health needs of street children slightly complicated. The lack of education often leads to poor self-esteem and career-related anxieties. At times, there’s barely anything that can be done for the children who come to the shelter, because they are already 15 or 16 years old. This makes the process of counselling difficult, because not much can be done to address the main issue (education) from which these anxieties are stemming. Or sometimes, the child has inhibitions about talking about their traumatic experiences due to trust issues. It gets difficult to reach out to the child in such cases.

Therefore, building the environment to address the needs of street children is of utmost importance when helping them with their mental health needs. It is important that they feel loved. An approach where the focus is on a child’s strengths, instead of their weaknesses, gives them the confidence and self-esteem which the street robs them of.

There are quite a number of government policies that try to address these issues. Unfortunately, the process of getting the benefits from these policies is cumbersome – especially when street children don’t have any identification cards. More homes for children in street situations who have mental health needs – and more importantly, homes well-equipped to deal with their needs – could solve this problem. It’s important to remember that these homes are not permanent residences for the children. So, equipping children with life skills at these homes is important, too – to enable them to make rational decisions and also help them lead a fulfilling and independent life when they leave the home.

Country-wide, we need more people talking about mental health. If it’s talked about in textbooks, if there are workshops and seminars that spread awareness that mental health problems are also health problems – we would be a step closer to addressing the issue.

D’s troubles at her foster home, where she had been living since her parents died, started when she was turning adolescent – a time when it was important for her to have conversations about mental health. Her foster parents had brought her up like their own child, but it was her mood swings and her relationships with the boys of her class that led to arguments between them.

If everyone understood mental health a little better in this country, maybe D’s foster parents would have understood that she just needed the help of a mental health professional. Perhaps then she wouldn’t have had to lose another set of parents.

*Name changed

_

Featured image used for representative purposes only.

Image Source: Salaam Baalak Trust/Facebook, Rajen Nair

The post The Grim Reality Of Depression, PTSD And Anxiety Among Street Children appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

Railway stations in India are one of the most important sites of transport – and Sealdah station is one of the busiest. Thousands of people pass by this station every day, as hundreds of local and express trains run to and fro daily. No one has the time to look what the other person is up to or what is happening next to them.

Obviously, no one sees what goes on outside this station – more specifically, how the street children and their families survive. Here, I would like to share some experiences which made me think that the way these people survive should make us question our humanity.

In 2011, I was completing a post-graduate course in one of the medical colleges in Kolkata. Nearly six years later, when I visited the same place, it seemed to me that the lives of these children and their families have remained unchanged, despite all the socio-political progress Kolkata has witnessed in these years.

Early morning, at around five, these people gather outside the station from nowhere. They come in large groups which consist of small children and older ones. Allegedly, there’s a secret drug business in this area. There are drug dealers who sell them drugs (brown sugar, cocaine). They use the drugs and start their daily work of picking up plastic bottles or pick-pocketing. Many times, they are caught by the police and thrown in jail. But after they are released, they go back to do the same.

Why? Why have they been doing this? The question remains unanswered. Perhaps, they have found this to be one of the easiest and cheapest ways of surviving.

Whenever we came to Sealdah station, these children used to come begging. We used to offer them food – to no avail. All they wanted was money so that they could buy the drugs they wanted. When they are under the influence of drugs, they fall asleep anywhere. Because of the addiction, they often skip food and sometimes commit crimes to get money for more drugs.

Girls, who are hardly in their teens, also get addicted to drugs and become involved in this business. In many cases, they are used as ‘smuggling bags’ where they act as transporters to export drugs or smuggled goods from one place to another. Cheap cinema halls in the area provide easy access for such activities.

Around midnight, the outskirts of the station turns into a red light area. Prostitution has become one of the growing businesses in this area. Some of these girls even give ‘sexual favours’ at extremely low prices. I remember witnessing one such incident. The 15-year-old girl was being ‘tortured’ by a man who seemed to be double her age, besides also being bulkier. When we tried to talk to her, she said that she was happy the way she was, and didn’t want us to get involved into their lives.

Many of these girls also turn out to be carriers of sexually-transmitted diseases. One such girl was brought to our medical college in a severely drugged state. She was also bleeding profusely. Finally, when we confronted her, she said that she had been forced to have sex, only a couple of days after delivering her child. She wanted to die because, for her, the baby was a symbol of lust and not of love. She didn’t want to feed her baby and made several attempts to kill it in the medical college. That girl was hardly 17 years old. Later, she was sent to a rehabilitation centre – but then we learnt that she had fled from there.

It is true that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and other authorities have become more vigilant due to rising number of thefts and the threat of terrorist attacks. For this, they are trying to move these people away from the station premises. However, all of this has only resulted in them changing their locations – but not their lifestyles.

If one observes the daily lives of these street children and their families, they will see the overwhelming influence of drugs and addiction – from morning till night. This business is increasing day by day – and with it, the number of diseases they carry is also exponentially rising. With mothers and teenage girls forced into prostitution, it would seem that even the unborn children are being ‘drugged’ in the womb. Somewhere, they are forced to be like merciless zombies who breathe and live only for their specific addiction.

On the other hand, the children surviving in these areas are also a part of the nation’s future. If, on the one hand, we can see the brighter side of a progressive India – on the other, there’s also the darker side which is yet to receive the first rays of light. Can we make them see the better side of humanity? The question remains unanswered.

For more pictures related to the story, view the gallery here.

Other pictures by the photographer can be found here.

_

Picture Courtesy: Arindam Mukherjee

The post Drugs And Prostitution Are Ruining Lives Of Kids Outside This Kolkata Railway Station appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

As someone who has lived in Kolkata and frequently passed through Howrah, I have often seen street children living on the tracks there, before. But watching VICE’s documentary on this made me realise that I had no idea of the horrors of their lives.

Street children in India are a mostly invisible community, with a vast majority living without any official proof of identification, which basically makes them ‘non-existent’ in the government’s eyes. Thus, not only do street children miss out on governmental schemes, they also become easy targets for exploitation. For example, the children who live on the railway tracks in Howrah help clear up train carriages, but are treated as unwelcome and unwanted. Lack of education and forced labour destroys both their childhood and their future.

Another horrifying truth that the documentary highlights is how exposed street children are to health hazards, especially through drug and substance abuse. This isn’t something which is limited to Kolkata only – street children across the country often use substances such as industrial glue to get high.

And once past a certain age, many of the children end up in jail and emerge as hardened individuals. On the streets, they faced police brutality – and once they are older, they get trapped by the very system that is supposed to protect them.

India has the highest number of young people in the world – over 350 million. And we’re letting many of these voices fall silent in their childhoods. Every last child is important. We must do better.

_

Image Source: VICE/YouTube

The post Sniffing Dendrite And Sleeping On Tracks: The Harsh Life Of Howrah’s Street Children appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

Amidst the hustle of cities and caught in the web of individual commitments, our encounters with those on the streets are reduced to inconsiderate – and sometimes, selective – acts of kindness. These are meant to give the ‘beneficiaries’ of these acts a sense of instant privilege, which we probably think they are not deserving of.

My story of interacting with street children consists of a lot of excitement, happiness, and a little bit of embarrassment. This was a day when I stepped out of college knowing that I had to do something good.

The feeling went back a few weeks when I had exited a metro station and was greeted by a four-year-old who was trying to sell balloons to passersby.

I walked up to him and asked for one. He very candidly handed me a balloon, without a sign of happiness on his face. I was struck by the seriousness that this kid could display. I tried to chat with him for a bit, and asked him a few questions about him and his family.

I left soon after this short meeting – but the memory stayed with me for weeks to come.

Coming back to the fateful day – I set out to do something rewarding. I went back to the place wanting to spend some time with a few kids. I started talking to a kid – and in no time, I was walking around with a small group of five- to eight-year-olds. After a lot of debate, the kids decided that they wanted to eat at McDonald’s while sitting inside the restaurant.

This story is not about what happened at McDonald’s. That went pretty well. It is about what happened after the party was over and about the realisations that subsequently dawned upon me.

The mother of one of the kids was looking for her child and thought that she had gone missing. Upon finding us, she slapped her child twice, came up to me and very politely said, “Didi, I know you had good intentions, but I got worried about my child. Someone could have taken her away – and I would have had no chance of finding her.”

While the situation hardly bothered the kids, I was filled with guilt and embarrassment – because an intended act of kindness had turned into a major goof-up. On my way back home, I realised how easy it is for us to take for granted the issues of identity and security related to kids living on the streets.

Had it been some other kid, I would have taken these factors all into consideration. I was quick enough to assume that taking them for a walk should not be a problem to their parents – or in that case, I assumed that they wouldn’t have parents in the first place.

The issues of identity faced by these kids rest on a complex web of inter-relationships of various cultural, political as well as economic factors. The consequences of this inter-relatedness are clearly visible in the plight of these groups, today. Examining these factors will, undoubtedly, lead to a better understanding of the situation. But tackling the issue as a whole requires a little more involvement than mere distant and secondary knowledge. The best and perhaps the most fruitful way to address this is being directly involved with the communities.

In our perception, the ‘street’ rests in the ‘public’ space – which we tend to differentiate from the ‘private’. Imagining families spending their entire lives in a space so open and unprotected makes it difficult to identify them with the normalcy of family and civil life. This is one of the reasons why we often tend to ignore even the basic necessities that are missing from their lives.

The consequences this perception brings about for the underprivileged are not difficult to trace. A lack of civil, political and cultural identities strips them of the ability to access even the most basic resources that are required to live a healthy life.

The threat that this fluid identity of a ‘street life’ poses is such that it can cost children their lives. Without a valid, State-approved identity, the children lose the privilege of being looked after by the authorities. And in the absence of a traditional cultural identity, they lose the privilege of being recognised by the people around them. It seems as if there is no way to go from here.

However, as complex as things seem to look, simple acts of kindness can take this world a long way. All we need to do is engage ourselves in interacting with these communities.

Many a time, good intentions can be unfruitful if we are not fully aware of the conditions of those we are trying to help. An obvious solution to this situation would be to raise awareness about these communities – and most importantly, understanding their culture. In my opinion, a distant understanding of things will not prove successful unless it is done by promoting awareness through direct interaction.

We need to involve ourselves with the ones we want to take care of. Numerous children on the streets need strength – not only from our individual selves, but also from our families and friends. The more people we strive to engage in this cause, the bigger and better it will become.

The wall of awkwardness and goof-ups can be struck down only through constant participation with the ones who need our support the most.

_

Image used for representative purposes only.

The post I Tried To Do Something Nice For Street Children But Didn’t Realise Its Consequences appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

India is a country of pretty obvious inequalities. It accounts for the largest number of people living below the poverty line – but at the same time, it also has the fourth highest number of billionaires in the world. This bizarre dichotomy manifests itself when we see people struggling to afford three square meals a day, while the richest of Indians buy ridiculously expensive things.

In fact, according to a study by rights group Oxfam, the inequality is so bad that 57 Indian billionaires own 70% of  the nation’s wealth! As a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, it is the responsibility of the Indian government to not only address this alarming gap, but also do something to bridge it. Because the truth is, the gap is too wide for India to realistically meet its development goals.

Don’t believe us? Have a look at these 10 ridiculously expensive things that the top 1% of Indians can easily afford, but which millions in the country can’t even dream of:

1. iPhone 5 Black Diamond

What do you get when you take a brand known for elite and expensive products and put diamonds on it? Something priced at £10 million or a ridiculous ₹83 crores! “Ahahahaha,” thinks the average Indian.

2. Gold encrusted donuts

Hey, do you like donuts and also want to feel rich while eating one? Chuck the ol’ sugary donuts and why not add gold flakes to yours? Yes, actual legit gold flakes. And, just a note – each donut costs $100 (over ₹6,000)!

3. Reinast Luxury Toothbrush

Rich people gotta feel rich while doing anything, even when it’s something as basic as brushing teeth. Clocking in at a cool $4000, it’s not money till you got titanium in your teeth. While the rest of us ordinary Indians are here busy, plugging ordinary stuff like Colgate – or, more probably, neem ka dantun.

4. A shirt made of gold

Most of us would settle for good ol’ cotton but Dattatray Phuge, an Indian businessman, made headlines when he ordered a shirt made of pure gold for himself. This earned him the nickname the ‘gold man’ of Pune. And he isn’t the only one either. Maharashtra’s businessman-politician Pankaj Parekh became the second person in India to own a gold shirt.

5. An apartment in Beverley Hills

At a time when almost every sky-rise in India seems to be surrounded by slums, very few people can think of buying houses outside India, let alone in premier locations. Not that this is a concern for the super-rich of course – such as when Aamir Khan spent ₹75 crore to buy an apartment for his wife, Kiran Rao. Love is worth more than money, sure – but wow!

6. A yacht

Not many people in India have even seen a yacht up close – I certainly haven’t. The first thing most people think of when they hear ‘yacht’ is ‘a big boat that’s too expensive for me’. And you know what? They’re totally right. Case in point: Vijay Mallya’s yacht, the ‘Indian Empress’, which cost a ridiculous $150 million. Good for running away from all the debt, I suppose.

7. A private jet

It’s boring, since it’s something many rich persons have. And yet, it’s not something most of us can even think of owning. From Mallya to the Ambanis to half the Bollywood superstars out there, a private plane is a must. At the same time, the rest of the country is either struggling to get the cheapest flight tickets or has probably never been on a plane at all.

8. A whole cricket team

People usually dream of being cricketers – but owning your own cricket team? Yeah, way out of most people’s leagues. The Mumbai Indians’ market value is estimated to be more than $50 million, and is owned by none other than Mukesh Ambani. Obviously.

9. A trip to outer space

Everyone loves to travel, but rich people like to travel to some wild locations. Most of us are grateful if we get away to a hill station for a weekend – but that’s just us. Enter Virgin Galactic, which is working on making commercial space travel a thing. It won’t probably be affordable for most of humanity, though – because each ticket costs $200,000. But hey, at least you’ll miss the crowd in space!

10. Antilla

What does it take to own the most expensive private residential building in the world? Oodles of money, of course. Most families in India would probably save for years before managing to buy their own residence, but not Mukesh Ambani (again, obviously). Antilla has 27 floors and needs a staff of 600 to maintain it – and a single family resides in it.

Ironically, Antilla is located in Mumbai, which is also home to Dharavi, one of the largest slums in the world. More than being a symbol of ‘development’, it should be regarded as a symbol of inequality that’s festering modern Indian society.

So, the big question: Why should you care? Because rising inequality affects the development of the country you live in, as a whole. It is a concern so big that leaders around the world have made it a point in their campaign promises  – and for good reason. According to The Economist, inequality can “impair growth if those with low incomes suffer poor health and low productivity as a result” as well as “threaten public confidence in growth-boosting policies like free trade.”

When nearly 200 million people in India are malnourished and 96% of the adult population has wealth ‘below $10,000 (₹ 6.84 lakhs)’, the government has a responsibility to work towards eradicating all forms of inequality, especially since it is one of India’s most crucial problems.

If India aims to meet its sustainable development goals (SDG) by 2030, the government needs to start working and put forth systems to ensure that people are protected from the growing inequality. This includes social protection systems for those who are especially vulnerable – such as people with disabilities, the elderly and children.

And we need to hold the government accountable until it does this. That starts now.

_

Image Source: Yogen Shah/India Today Group/Getty Images

The post 10 Ridiculous Things The Richest 1% Indians Can Buy, That Millions Can’t Even Dream Of appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

Globally, 7 million people die due to smoking every year. But, the global profit in the tobacco trade is $35 billion. The system claims that it wants to keep citizens healthy and wants them to stay away from tobacco – but it can’t afford to ban it or keep it far from them. Of all the absurdities of our system, isn’t this the craziest?

We campaign so strongly against a substance – but also make sure that its business does soar.

This video left me appalled. Initially, I thought that the maker of the video was promoting smoking, and I rolled my eyes. But then I realised that this video showcases no-smoking public service advertising (PSA) in a different way. The idea was to excessively romanticise cigarette smoking through a mock commercial.

Something that stumped me was ‘Trump’. I do not know what prompted the video makers to call it ‘Trump’, but I couldn’t help but notice the huge scope for political satire in the script. The subtexts and metaphors were conveyed so easily.

In fact, this refreshing take can be a replacement to what the anti-smoking commercials we see in the movie theatres before the movie and after the interval!

_

Image Source: The Gist/YouTube

The post How ‘Graceful’ Would It Be To Die Of Smoking? Let This Video Show You appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

एक छोटी सी बच्ची जिसकी उम्र लगभग 7-8 साल होगी और उसके कुछ साथी अचानक से ट्रेन के भीतर आये, कटोरा साइड में रखा और अपना करतब दिखाने लगे। कोई ढोल बजा रहा था, कोई गुलाटी मार रहा था तो कोई नाचना और गाना शुरू कर दे रहा था।

ये बात तब की है जब मैं ठंड की छुट्टियाँ मनाने गुवाहाटी जा रही थी। लगभग आधा रास्ता मैंने तय कर लिया था। मैं गुवाहाटी से कम-से-कम 100 कि०मी० की दूरी पर थी, रात के लगभग 8 बजे थे कि तभी कुछ बच्चे अंदर आये और उन बच्चों ने अपने अजीबो-गरीब हरकत से सभी का मन मोह लिया। सभी लोग बड़े दिलचस्पी के साथ उन्हें देखने लगे। हमारे साथ शैक्षणिक भ्रमण के लिए जा रहे छात्र-छात्राएं भी सफर कर रहे थे। छात्रों का गुट भी आश्चर्यचकित हो एकटक से उन्हें देखने लगा। उनके करतब देख लोग ज़ोर-ज़ोर से ठहाके भी लगा रहे थे। माहौल बन गया, बच्चे और ट्रेन में बैठे लोग इसका भरपूर आनन्द उठा रहे थे कि तभी सब कुछ बंद कर उन्होंने अपना कटोरा उठाया और सबसे पैसे मांगने शुरू किये। अब बात तो सही है भइया उन्होंने इतनी मेहनत की है तो मेहनताना भी उन्हें ज़रूर मिलनी चाहिए। इसी आशा के साथ उन्होने अपना काम शुरू किया।

किसी ने पैसे दिए तो किसी ने खाने का सामान, जिसने जो दिया उन बच्चों ने सब रख लिया। पर जब उसके सहभागी ने पूछा “कितने पैसे मिले”? तब वह छोटी सी गुड़िया टाँस भरी आवाज़ में बोलती है “80रू ही हुए कुछ ने तो पॉपकॉर्न और बिस्किट देकर ही फुसला लिया।” उसकी इस बात पर लोग ज़ोर से हंस पड़े और आश्चर्य भरी निगाहों से देखने लगे। शायद कुछ लोग ये भी सोच रहे होंगे कि “उम्र इतनी सी और ज़ुबान कैंची की तरह।” पर लोग इसके पीछे का कारण जानने की कोशिश नहीं करते, मजबूरी और हालात शायद उन्हें ऐसा बनने और करने पर मजबूर कर देते हैं।

मुद्दा वो नहीं जो मैं ऊपर अभी तक आपके साथ बाँट रही थी, विषय तो बहुत ही गंभीर और चिंताजनक है। सवाल उन बच्चों के भविष्य का है, जो आज ट्रेन में नाचने को मजबूर हैं, पैसे मांगने को मजबूर हैं। मैंने तो चार को देखा है, देश भर में न जाने ऐसे कितने बच्चे होंगे। इनको देख ज़हन में दो सवाल उठते हैं। पहला कहीं इन बच्चों को साज़िश के तहत धंधा तो नहीं कराया जा रहा और वो पैसे जो उन्हें  मिलते हैं वो पैसे गलत कामों के लिए तो नहीं जा रहे। दूसरा शायद वो सही में इतने गरीब हैं कि उन्हें अपना पेट भरने के लिये  इन कार्यों का सहारा लेना पड़ रहा है। दोनों ही मामले बेहद संवेदनशील और भयानक हैं।

दोनों ही विषय मन को विचलित करती है, हमारे सामने चुनौती प्रस्तुत करती है। जिनके हाथों में पढने के लिए किताबें और खेलने के लिए गेंद होनी चाहिए, उनके हाथों में भीख मांगने के लिए कटोरा दे दिया गया है। उनके ऊपर पूरे घर-परिवार की ज़िम्मेदारी दे दी गयी है, जिसे वह बखूबी समझते भी हैं और निभाते भी। पर क्या इस तरह हमारी आने वाली पीढ़ी शिक्षित हो पायेगी? क्या भारत में सभी को इंटरनेट से जोड़ने की योजना सफल हो पायेगी? कहीं वो किसी ऐसे दलदल में पैर ना रख दें, जिससे वो भविष्य में निकलना भी चाहे तो निकल ना पायें। उनके उम्र के बच्चे खेलते हैं, कूदते हैं, जिद करते हैं, माता पिता से लड़ते-झगड़ते हैं। पर उन्हें कुछ भी नसीब नहीं हो पा रहा और वो इन सबसे अंजान बैठे हैं। कहीं “जिम्मेदारी रूपी दीमक” उनके भविष्य को खोखला ना कर दे।

भारी चिंतन का विषय है यह। सवाल भी हज़ार हैं, पर जवाब देने वाला कोई नज़र नहीं आता। शायद जवाब उनके पास भी नहीं होंगे जो लोग उस रात ट्रेन में ठहाके लगा रहे थे।

लेख में इस्तेमाल की गयी फोटो प्रतीकात्मक हैं।
फोटो आभार : फेसबुक

The post ट्रेन में करतब दिखाने वाले बच्चों की हकीकत डरावनी है appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

यह सन 2008 की बात है, हमारे शहर लखनऊ की वह सुबह रोज़ की तरह ही थी। पर मुझे उस सुबह एक ऐसा दृश्य दिखाई दिया जो कहीं ना कहीं मन में चुभकर रह गया। मैंने रुककर उसका वीडियो बनाया और वह वीडियो YouTube पर डाल दिया।

यह दृश्य आप में से अधिकतर के लिए कुछ नया और अनोखा भी नहीं होगा। ऐसा तो आप आते-जाते रोज़ ही देखते रहते हैं। लेकिन ज़रा गौर से देखियेगा कि यह मासूम बच्चे इंसानों के ही बच्चे हैं, जो कचरे पर से गन्ने की फांक उठाकर खा रहे हैं। यह बच्चे भारत के ही बच्चे हैं, इनका धर्म क्या है? पता नहीं! यह किस जाति के हैं? पता नहीं! पर इतना बिल्कुल पता है कि यह भारत के नागरिक हैं, भारत माता के बच्चे हैं। संविधान और मानवता हमें और इनको बराबर अधिकार देते हैं।

बच्चे तो यह इंसानों के ही हैं बिल्कुल वैसे ही जैसे हमारे बच्चे होते हैं। इनके शरीर के कोषों में भी वही 46 क्रोमोज़ोम हैं जो हमारे शरीर में पाए जाते हैं। इनके ब्लड ग्रुप भी  A, B, O अथवा AB में से कुछ हैं। पर हमने धीरे-धीरे हाशिये की तरफ धकेल-धकेलकर इन्हें इंसानों के बजाय जानवरों के साथ रहने पर मजबूर कर दिया है। जी हां किसी जंगल में नहीं अपने शहर में, अपनी बस्ती में, अपनी आंखों के सामने। 

कौन दोषी है इस भयानक अपराध के लिए? बुरा ना मानें तो खुलकर बता दूं। आप दोषी हैं, जी हां आप और आपके साथ मैं भी!

आपको पूछने का अधिकार है कि भला हम किस प्रकार दोषी हैं। जवाब बहुत सरल है। हमारा देश लोकतांत्रिक देश है और लोकतंत्र में राजा या सबसे शक्तिशाली कौन होता है? ‘लोक’ यानि कि जनसाधारण जिसका एक छोटा सा पर महत्वपूर्ण भाग आप भी है और मैं भी हूं। इस परिस्थिति के लिए किसी शायर ने बहुत खूब कहा है कि ‘मैं भी गुनाहगार हूं, तुम भी गुनाहगार हो।’

क्या मैंने या आपने, अपने मताधिकार का प्रयोग करने से पहले वोट मांगने वालों से यह पूछा है कि क्या उन्होंने यह दृश्य देखा है? क्या उनसे पूछा है कि इन बच्चों के माता-पिता के आधार कार्ड हैं? मतदाता पहचान पत्र हैं? राशन कार्ड हैं? क्या वह इन्हें संविधान के मार्गदर्शी सिद्धांतों में वर्णित रूपरेखा के अनुसार अधिकार दिलाने का प्रयास करेंगे? और यदि करेंगे तो क्या करेंगे और किस तरह करेंगे? मैं विश्वास के साथ कह सकता हूं कि ना तो आपने ऐसा किया है और ना ही मैंने। यदि मैं गलत कह रहा हूं तो इस लेख के नीचे टिप्पणी में अपना विचार अवश्य लिखियेगा।

कहां है हमारा राष्ट्रवाद जो भारत के नागरिकों को इंसान से जानवर में तब्दील होते देख रहा है और चुप है? कहां है कमज़ोरों के लिए आरक्षण मांगने वाले जो इन बच्चों के लिए कुछ नहीं कर सकते? कहां है वह उलेमा हजरात जो इस विषय में कोई फ़तवा नहीं जारी करते? हालांकि उनके धर्म में उनपर यह ज़िम्मेदारी डाली गई है कि उनके पड़ोस में कोई भूखा ना सोने पाए। कहां है हमारा नीति आयोग और इस समस्या के बारे में उनकी क्या नीति है जो हर दिन खुद के लिए और अपने परिवार के लिए, देश के टैक्स अदा करने वालों के हज़ारों रुपए खर्च करते हैं?

अगर कुछ नहीं कर सकते तो कम से कम बोलियेगा ज़रूर!

फोटो प्रतीकात्मक है; फोटो आभार: getty images 

The post उस वक्त तुम कहां होते हो, जब कूड़े में एक बच्चा अपना खाना ढूंढता है? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

Children living on India’s streets remain one of the most vulnerable sections of society. We see them on our streets every day, sometimes forced into labour, but do we know really how to help them?

To rally young people towards understanding existing laws that can help protect and uplift the lives of children in street situations, we created a quiz based on the ‘Standard Operating Procedure for Care and Protection of Children in Street Situations (SOP)’ that was recently launched by Save the Children India and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The responses to the quiz revealed some compelling results:

Child Labour Continues To Haunt The Streets Of Our Biggest Cities

Out of more than 9000 respondents who took a poll at the end of the quiz, a whopping 72.9% had encountered children forced into labour, illegally in their city. Most of the respondents to the quiz were from India’s largest cities including Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Pune, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. This brings to light the disturbing fact that child labour, which is illegal, is a common sight in urban landscapes even today, 70 years after attaining independence.

Debunking The Myth That Young People Don’t Care About Issues Of Importance

The quiz received a viewership of over 1,00,000 of which more than 50% viewers fell in the age bracket of 18-34 years. Almost 50,000 viewers who visited the page took the quiz, with 30,000 completing it – that is, 1 out of every 2 people who attempted the quiz, completed it! This only goes to show that the popular myth that young people don’t care about social issues of importance is just that – a myth. Young people do care.

The Way Forward

Getting young people involved in rallying for the protection of children on India’s streets is crucial. But equally crucial is disseminating information about what best practices and acts can take the process forward while maximising impact. Armed with the right information, India’s youth represents a powerful resource pool to tap into, to take such causes forward.

The quiz aimed to do just that – share important information that can help counter the issue in a solution-oriented way. And we’re not done yet! We’d love to draw attention to the cause by reaching many more millennials! The quiz is still active, take the quiz to see if you’re a child rights warrior, and share it ahead!

The post We Asked Over 9000 Millennials, And Nearly 80% Said They Had Encountered Child Labour appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

उसका नाम अजय है, उसकी उम्र 8 साल है। उससे मेरी मुलाकात 5 फ़रवरी, 2017 की सुबह हुई। वह एक पतले से बिछौने पर ज़मीन से लगभग 25 फुट ऊपर बज्र आसन लगाकर बैठा हुआ था।

शनिवार और इतवार की सुबह मंजू और मैं स्वस्थ रहने का सपना पाले लम्बी पैदल यात्रा पर निकल जाते हैं। उस दिन हमारे साथ मेरी भतीजी शीनू भी तैयार हो गयी। हम तीनों 7 बजे घर से निकल पड़े। पहले हमने सोचा कि हम पटेल चेस्ट से ISBT के पास यमुना के किनारे-किनारे टहलेंगे। लेकिन शीनू के साथ होने के कारण हमने तय किया कि हम मजनू का टीला स्थित गुरूद्वारे के पास से यमुना देखकर लौट आएंगे। सो हम मजनू का टीला स्थित गुरूद्वारे से नीचे उतरकर कुछ देर यमुना के किनारे-किनारे टहलते रहे।

8 बजे हमने लौटना तय किया। शीनू के कहने पर हमने गुरूद्वारे से तीन दोने प्रसाद के लिए और उसका मज़ा लेने लगे। किस रास्ते से लौटा जाए इस सवाल पर विचार होने लगा। मेरा मन था कि वहां से यमुना के किनारे-किनारे ISBT होते हुए घर पहुंचे। लेकिन शीनू ने अपनी थकान का हवाला देकर हमें छोटा रास्ता लेने को कहा। थोड़ा विचार करने पर यह तय हुआ कि मजनू का टीला में स्थित तिब्बत के निवासियों की कॉलोनी के सामने से होते हुए नेहरू विहार के मोड़ तक चलेंगे और वहां से बस या किसी और साधन से घर पहुंचा जाएगा।

हम वज़ीराबाद की ओर से आने वाली सड़क के फुटपाथ पर चलते हुए नेहरू विहार की ओर चलने लगे। कुछ ही दूरी पर एक फुटओवर ब्रिज की मदद से सड़क पार करने के लिए उस पर चढ़े। इस ब्रिज की सीढ़ियों पर भारतीय राष्ट्र के कई नागरिक भीख मांगने के लिए बैठे थे। उनमें से दो भिखारी आपस में इस बात के लिए बहस में उलझे हुए थे कि ‘इस’ सीढ़ी पर कौन बैठता आया है। इसी बीच हम तीनों ओवरब्रिज के ऊपर पहुंच गए। यहीं पर हमारी अजय से मुलाकात हुई।

वह अपने बिछौने के एक सिरे पर खुद बैठा था और उसके दूसरे सिरे पर उसकी वज़न तौलने वाली मशीन रखी हुई थी। उसे देखकर हमने अपना-अपना वज़न तौलने की सोची। हम तीनों ने वज़न तौला और उसे 15 रूपये दिए। पैसे देते हुए मैंने उससे पूछा “बेटा, क्या तुम स्कूल जाते हो?” उसने उत्तर दिया “नहीं”। मैंने सवाल यह सोचकर किया था कि शायद इतवार होने की वजह से वह आज इस काम के लिए बैठा हो। मैंने फिर पूछा-

तुम्हारी उम्र कितनी है?
आठ साल।
तुम कहां रहते हो?
खजूरी।
वहां से कैसे आते हो?
बस से।
क्या तुम अकेले आते हो?
नहीं, माँ भी आती है।
वह कहां हैं?
नीचे भीख मांग रही है।

इस दौरान मेरे भीतर कुछ अजीब सा घटने लगा। मैं उसकी ठीक-ठीक पहचान तो नहीं कर सका, लेकिन उसने मेरी आँखों में नमी पैदा कर दी। मैंने फिर पूछा-

क्या तुम रोज़ आते हो?
हां।
कितने बजे आ जाते हो?
सुबह-सुबह।
यहां से जाओगे कब? 
जब रात हो जाएगी।
क्या तुमने कुछ खाया है? 
हां।
क्या तुम दिन के लिए खाना लाए हो?
नहीं।
तो फिर दिन में खाना कहां खाओगे?
रात को खाऊंगा।
अब तुम सिर्फ रात को खाओगे?
हां।
क्या तुम्हारे पास पानी है?
नहीं।
तो पानी कहां से पीते हो?
नहीं पीता।

अब मेरे भीतर पैदा हुआ ये अजीब सा एहसास कुछ और बढ़ गया। मैंने पूछा-
और कौन हैं तुम्हारे घर में?
पापा हैं और बड़ा भाई है।
पापा क्या करते हैं?
बूट-पॉलिश करते हैं।
कहां?
वहीं खजूरी में।
और भाई क्या करता है?
वो भी बूट-पॉलिश करता है।

उससे बिछड़ने से पहले उसकी अनुमति से शीनू ने उसकी एक तस्वीर खींची। मैं भारी क़दमों से ओवरब्रिज की सीढ़ियों से उतरने लगा। मेरा मन हुआ कि मैं ज़ोर-ज़ोर से भारत माता की जय और भारतीय संस्कृति की जय के नारे लगाऊं। ताकि उनके शोर के तले मेरे मन के ये भाव भयभीत होकर मुंह छुपा लें।

शायद ऐसे ही पलों के लिए ग़ालिब ने कहा था कि:
“रगों में दौड़ते-फिरने के हम नहीं क़ायल
जब आँख ही से न टपका तो फिर लहू क्या है”

The post न जाने कितने अजय हर रोज़ हमारी वजह से हारते हैं appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

In the last general elections, only 50% of India’s 150-million-strong young voting population actually turned up to cast their vote. What was it that kept India’s millennials – widely perceived as one of India’s greatest strengths – from voting? And more importantly, how can we ensure that voter turnout among India’s youth increases by the time of the 2019 general elections?

Last month, we turned to our readers for answers. As part of our campaign with Facebook, #JetSetVote, we ran an Ideathon contest on Youth Ki Awaaz, asking young people on the internet to share their ideas on how to make voting interesting and engaging for Indian millennials. And the responses did not disappoint – we received some very cool ideas from hundreds of users who wrote in! Take a look at the top 7 entries below:

• Voluntary Internships: Youth and students can intern under the ECI to spread awareness and fulfil other duties at the end of which they will be awarded performance-based certificates to add to their CV.
  – Siddharth Sharma

• Why shouldn’t we use smartphones for voting? Government has started to link Aadhar with a mobile number. So if we also link the voter card with Aadhar, then our mobile numbers will automatically get linked with voter ID card. Now, voting can proceed with security measures.
  – Praamod Yogiraj

• The biggest complaint I’ve heard from non-voting friends is that waiting in line is too tedious. Free WiFi at polling stations can make it more fun. This can be extended by partnering with telecom operators to give 100 MB free data to anyone who votes. Beyond this, the EC should also partner up with e-retailers. Anyone who connects to the booth WiFi should get discount coupons on their phones. This would work as an amazing reward.
  – Shyam Nandan Reddy Uppuluru

• The Election Commission can host some exciting competitions to engage youth on the issue of voting. Participants could be asked to create documentaries or posters and their entries can be shared on social media. The best entries can also be given exciting prizes. Through this, voting should be trending on all social media platforms!
  – Abdul Rahman

• Educate the youth about the importance of their votes: The first step is to make youth understand through social media (Facebook and WhatsApp) campaigns that by not voting, India will be governed by the choices of those who have voted. Equally important is to ensure new voters understand the option of NOTA, so they can choose not to vote for any candidate.
  – Aishwarya Sandeep

• Vote and get concessions on public services: To give young people an incentive to vote, voters can be given a choice as to which public service they want the concessions for (public transport, bank fees). That particular service will be available to the voter at a subsidised rate. For example, a voter living in Delhi may be given concessions on the Metro fare.
  – Shikhar

• Celebrity endorsements can get Indian youths to vote: If the Election Commission can get celebrities to endorse voting on billboards and online, like private advertisements – imagine glamorous Deepika Padukone on a billboard in Varanasi showing the voting ink on her finger – young people will automatically begin to associate voting with being “cool”.
  – Keertana S

Three of these innovative, refreshing and unique ideas will be selected to win cash prizes of up to ₹10,000. And five will be shared with the Election Commission! For a look at other entries that were both insightful and informative, but did not make the cut, check out our Ideathon page.

And those who couldn’t participate this time, don’t worry! Youth Ki Awaaz will be hosting two more contests very soon – so stay tuned and keep checking our #JetSetVote page for updates!

About #JetSetVote: #JetSetVote is a nationwide movement to make voting fun, interesting and engaging for the Indian millennial. As part of the campaign, Youth Ki Awaaz and Facebook are organising workshops across 50 campuses in India to train first-time voters as conscious citizens and educate them about their voting rights and responsibilities in a fun and engaging manner. Find out more, here.

The post We Asked You How Voting Can Be Made Engaging, And Here Are Your Winning Entries appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

“She is a vile little girl always looking for excuses to gain attention. Don’t trust her words madam, she is a liar.”

This is what the father of a seven-year-old girl said when his daughter tried to tell him that she was being abused. She went quiet after hearing her father’s voice. However, my friends and I, who had been helping out in the neighbourhood slums for some time, decided to investigate the matter.

They were a family of four – parents and two daughters. Once the father left for work, a friend of his visited them frequently and played with the girls. Away from the prying of neighbours, he touched them in inappropriate places. But since the girls were unaware of what constituted sexual abuse, they did not talk to anyone about it.

It so happened that when I visited the house where her mother was employed as a domestic worker, on a Sunday morning, the little girl also tagged along. I was having a chat with her when she mentioned these ghastly incidents. Later, as we cajoled her, she mentioned that she felt ‘uncomfortable’, and in sheer innocence, narrated various incidents to us in the passing.

Luckily, the entire neighbourhood got involved, questioned the family and the accused, and discovered that the actions of this family friend who was so ‘nice and friendly’ were indeed suspicious. They convinced the parents to refrain from interacting with him, and eventually the family was shifted to a new locality and the accused was barred from meeting them.

Although the case has been brought to the police, investigations are still going on due to lack of evidence. It seems that the pleas of a seven-year old don’t suffice, and so many such incidents never come to light.

A report by the non-profit organisation, ‘Save The Children’, has found that 94.8% of such cases saw children, both on the vulnerable streets and those inside comfortable homes, being abused by someone they knew, and not strangers. It so happens that often the abusers are acquaintances or relatives whose public image is sometimes hard to question on the grounds of children’s complaints.

The Psychological Scars

A teenage girl, who had been repeatedly raped when she was 12 years old, opened up to me and shared her fear of being disregarded in the society because of her ‘shameful’ past. She confessed that the people around her make her feel like a criminal who has been branded for immoral deeds. Her plight came to the knowledge of her family only after she turned 16, when she was old enough to understand the gravity of the abuse meted out to her by her father’s co-workers.

But as she narrated her story, her shaking hands and silent sobs told me that she has not yet healed. Her mother shared that it took two years of rigorous counselling to inspire her daughter to join college for further studies. The fears have not left her completely and she still has to resort to antidepressant injections to cope up with dreadful memories.

Not Just Girls

These heart-wrenching accounts of sexual harassment that leave a child mentally and physically disturbed are not gender specific. A boy of 10 reported that the owner of the dhaba where he works, constantly abuses the child workers who shake with fear under his tight reign. Verbal insults and lashings are routine acts of the despotic rule here. Sometimes, these children also serve as satiating meals for sexual predators.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 2015 data, of the 8,800 child rape cases registered using The Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 25% of rapes of children were found to be committed by their employers and co-workers. But since these children have no home and virtually no family (as most of them are orphans or runaways), their cries often go unheard. The image of these children as ‘troublemakers’ also puts them at odds with the police and hence worsens their situation. At times, even the law enforcers turn abusers.

Smashing The Stigma

The sexual abuse of children living on our streets, is a grave social evil that remains untold due to the pressing effects of poverty, ignorance and prejudice. The handful of survivors who grow up to tell their tale reveal the darker side of childhood that is often overlooked.

These survivors remain marred for life and their experiences affect their mental health and hinder their growth. As more incidents of sexual abuse come to light, the Delhi police has launched a rigorous campaign to check child labour and sexual abuse in workplaces as well as orphanages.

With various organisations and departments realising the need to ensure a safe childhood for all, the fight against child abuse has taken its first steps. The power of individual efforts and self-realisation becomes evident from the story of Amod Kanth, a police officer turned activist and founder of the child protection NGO Prayas, who helps survivors of sexual abuse fight their perpetrators.

But, as members of the society, it is the responsibility of each one of us to shun the social stigma about sexual abuse, so that the survivors can come out to share their grief without the fear of being branded as outcasts.

Aleena Khan is an intern with Youth Ki Awaaz for the batch of February-March 2017.

_

Image Source : Lance Shields/Flickr

The post For Over 20 Million Indian Children, Sexual Abuse Is A Haunting Reality appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

By Richa Gupta:

The day was uncharacteristically scorching; perspiration ran down my face. The car’s air conditioner had stopped working, leaving me vulnerable to the oppressive heat of a particularly vindictive Indian afternoon. Just as I was craving a chilled glass of water, I took a look out of the window. And then I saw a long line of huge statues of Lord Ganesha, and realised that Ganesh Chaturthi was approaching.

Ganesh Chaturthi is the Hindu festival celebrated in honor of the god Ganesha — the god who removes the obstacles from one’s path to success. Festivals, including this one, are a huge deal to most of us, and a pretty considerable deal to my family and me. And on that day, I could see that people were really getting into the festival spirit – those endless lines of intricately carved Ganesha elephants just proved it. Each carving was taller than me, and must have weighed a ton. But as we were rounding the corner, I saw something else that took away the excitement that was beginning to take shape in my heart — that the people cutting, carving and painting the statues were children, probably seven or eight years old, who were engaging in laborious tasks rather than joining their peers and going to school.

India is notorious for its prevalence of hard, demanding child labour. Almost everyone knows this but it becomes worse when we realise that our pleasure during festivities becomes another’s pain. But even this is nothing new — young children from illiterate or rural families are known to slave away in factories during the most widely celebrated of Indian festivals, such as Diwali and Holi. They are known to manufacture fire crackers, sparklers and coloured powder. I’ve read articles describing the plight of these children — the injuries they incur, the misery etched across their faces, some of which have even gone viral. But there’s barely any change in the mentalities of the people, which started making me question the very purpose of festivals.

Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, which signifies the return of Rama and Sita (characters in the story from the Ramayana), and is a spiritual victory of light over darkness. This festival is also celebrated to honor Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. Let me just say that on Diwali nights, the night sky is brighter and so much more colorful than it is during the day, and is all the more polluted. It takes no time to discern the billows of multicoloured smoke rising up into the skies, which contribute to air pollution and global warming. But is Diwali a festival that affects only the environment? Or also the hands and legs of the little children who make perilous items every single festival day?

Last Diwali, I couldn’t light a single sparkler and send a single cracker spinning into the dusty skies. On Holi, I had to force myself to cream my sister with the blues, reds and greens of these powdered, festive hues. Because how could I have fun, when I was enjoying myself at the expense of another child’s pain and misery? The answer was simple — I couldn’t. But then I thought of everyone else – all those people I saw laughing and shouting and prancing and running. How could they enjoy themselves without that nagging voice at the back of their mind urging them to stop? A voice urging them to drop everything they’re holding and save these children from the predicament they’re ensnared in?

The concept of festivals is not as simple as I had once thought it was — they are not merely ‘religious times’ or ‘times of enjoyment’; this is something I had learnt many years ago. They are times to honor the Gods and Goddesses who are believed to have shaped and molded the universe to what it is today. But if they are ‘times of enjoyment’, who is meant to benefit? Who are they trying to make happy or to please?

As said by Anna Fitzgerald, a teenage character from the fictional novel “My Sister’s Keeper”: “There are always sides. There is always a winner and a loser. For every person who gets, there’s someone who must give.” Nonetheless, that shouldn’t mean that we deny ourselves the luxury of reality but as of now, I’m powerless to change it. So, nowadays, whenever I half-heartedly participate in festivals, rather than envisioning the tears that must have gone into manufacturing what I’m holding and tensely gripping with my fingers, I sincerely thank the children who had made them — my silent tribute to people too far away to pay my respects to directly and hope that one day, I’ll be able to meet them in person.

The post How We Celebrate Festivals, And Ignore The Child Labour And Pollution Behind It appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.