Dsa 2012-14 Victim of Disability

United Nation
’s Model and Indian Constitution 
Child Rights 
In 1948 the United Nations General Assembly based on the Universal Declaration of Human 
Rights recognised children’s rights, by stating that ‘all human beings are born free in dignity 
and rights’ and that children are entitled to special care and protection; it also stated that 
‘mankind owes to the child the best that it has to give.’ In 1959 the General Assembly 
adopted a more detailed Declaration of the Right of the Child; this framework got further 
strengthened with the adoption of the two International Covenants- on Civil and Political 
Rights and on Economic, Social and Political Rights. All these efforts put together led to the 
adoption of the Convention on Child Rights in 1989, which came into for in 1990 with the 
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rpose to ensure that governments and individuals across the world work to ensure that ‘all 
the world’s children enjoy the rights they deserve - to survival, health and education; to a 
caring family environment, to play and culture; to protection from exploitation and abuse of 
all kinds and to have their voices heard and opinions taken into account on issues affecting 
their lives (Annan, 2000).

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The framework of the Indian Constitution has ample provisions for the protection, 
development and welfare of children. There are a wide range of laws that guarantee children 
their rights and entitlements as provided in the Constitution and in the UN Convention. The 
government as a part of the various Five Year Plans has launched numerous programmes 
aimed at providing services to children in the areas of health, nutrition and education. The 
department for Women and Children was set up under the Ministry of Human Resource 
Development in 1985. This department formulated a National Plan of Action for Children in 
1992, the same year in which India ratified the UN Convention on Rights of Children. The 
State Governments are expected to embrace 
–‘in letter and spirit’ - the articles of the 
Convention on the Rights of the Child into their State Plans of Action for Children. A number 
of schemes for the welfare and development of children have been strengthened and refined 
with a view to ensuring children their economic, political and social rights (Rao, 2007). 
Presently various schemes and policies are in place which help ensure these rights such at the 
Right to Education Act, the Integrated Child Development Scheme, National Rural Health 
Mission, Elimination of Child Labour etc.