CHILD Protection & Rights > Vision & Mission

CHILDLINE’s Vision: To protect the rights of children in need of care and protection

CHILDLINE’s Mission: CHILDLINE aims at responding to the emergency needs of every child in need of care and protection throughout the country, ensuring that there is an integrated effort between the government, non-government organisations, academic institutions, bilateral agencies, corporates and the community in protecting the rights of children.

India is home to almost 19% of the world’s children. More than one third of the country’s population, around 440 million, is below 18 years. Promoting Child Protection and Child Rights for our children is consequently a crucial issue.

Who is a Child?
According to International Law, a ‘child’ means every human being below the age of 18 years. Childhood is characterized as a period of special consideration in human rights terms, as a period of evolving abilities and vulnerabilities relative to those of adults.
Today this is a universally accepted definition of a child which comes from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), an international legal instrument agreed and ratified by 192 States in the world to promote Child Protection and Child Rights.

What is ‘Child ‘Protection?
Child protection is crucial to ensuring that children under 18 years of age have the rights, confidence and environment in which they can make choices, express their views and communicate effectively with other children and adults.
It is a broad term to describe philosophies, policies, standards, guidelines and procedures whose aim is to protect children from both intentional and unintentional harm and from vulnerability.
Child protection incorporates both prevention and care as well as recovery and rehabilitation aspects. Children can only become change agents to improve their lives and that of their families and communities if they are safeguarded from abuse, discrimination and harm of any kind, be it physical, sexual, emotional or neglect.

What are ‘Child’ Rights?
A right is as an agreement or a “social contract” established between the persons who hold a right (often referred to as the “rights-holder”) and the persons or institutions which then have obligations and responsibilities in relation to the realisation of that right (often referred to as the “duty-bearer”.)
Child Rights can be defined as the fundamental, vital freedoms and the inherent rights of all human beings below the age of 18. These rights apply to every child, irrespective of the child's, parent's / legal guardian's race, colour, sex, creed or other status.

Links:

Childline India 1098

Childline India Foundation

All text and data available in the 'Child Rights and Child Protection' section is valid as of 31st Jan 2008.

All content in the 'Child Rights and Child Protection' section is inspired by information from African Union; Amnesty International ; AIDS India ; Avert; Asia Pacific Forum: Advancing Human Rights in our region; Bachpan Bachao Andolan; Campaign Against Child Trafficking; Children's disabilities information network; Coalition to stop the use of child soldiers; Council of Europe ; CRIN; Disability India Network; ECPAT; EURONET; E uropean Network of Ombudspersons for Children; European Union; HAQ: Center for Child Rights; Human Dimension Program at the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies ; Human Rights Solidarity; Human Rights and Constitutional Rights; Human Rights Watch; Indian Child ; Institute for Human Rights and development in Africa; International HIV/ AIDS Alliance ; International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims; Ministry of Labour; Ministry of Law and Justice; Ministry of Women and Children Development; N ational Aids Control Organization ; National Commission on Population; National Human Rights Commission; NGO working group on girls; Organization of American States ; Save Girl Child; The global campaign on Children and AIDS; Plan; Planning Commission of India; Projects on International Courts and Tribunals; SAARC; Save the Children; University of Minnesota, Human Rights Library; Wada Na Todo ; Women, Children and HIV ; Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism's, Unicef, and other related UN agencies