A few words
Access to justice projects
CHILD MARRIAGGE
About Our Organization
Bharatiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan (BJKSS) is dedicated to the development of the underprivileged people (backward and poor rural women, people with disabilities, victims of child labour, trafficking and violence) of Uttar Pradesh. The organization is working on the following issue of child marriage, child trafficking, child labor and child sexual exploitation. The organization participated and organized Child Marriage Free India campaign covering more than 50 villages in Balrampur district of Uttar Pradesh under the Access to Justice Project.
Background
Child marriage is not just an age-old social evil, but also a heinous crime that robs children of their childhood. Child marriage is a “crime against children” that violates basic human rights, minor girls are forced to marry and live a life of mental trauma, physical and biological stress, domestic violence including limited access to education and increased vulnerability to domestic violence. The consequences of child marriage are severe and extensive. Some of the specific consequences include: early pregnancies leading to complications and higher rate of maternal mortality and death of infants, malnutrition among both the infant and the mother, increased vulnerability to reproductive health, disruption in girl’s education and thereby reduction in opportunities of her personal and professional development, domestic violence and abuse, limited decision making powers in the household, and mental health issues.
India’s Census 2011 revealed 12 million children were married before attaining the legal age, of which 5.2 million were girls. Globally, child marriage is identified as a crime and a menace that needs to be eliminated. It finds space in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, under target 5.3 of Goal 5 that states elimination of all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation by 2025.
The latest National Family Health Survey (2019-21) shows that although there is a drop in the overall rate of child marriages, from 26.8% in the National Family Health Survey (NFHS 4) to 23.3% in NFHS-5, it is still high despite laws, programmes and schemes in place to address the issue.
Child Care & Protection
Child marriage remains a grave social issue in India, depriving millions of young girls of their childhood and potential. Committed to bringing about social change, Kailash Satyarthi Children Foundation launched the Child Marriage Free India Campaign.
Child marriage continues to be a pressing concern in India, with UNICEF estimating that 27% of girls are married before the age of 18. Early marriage robs girls of their right to education, health, and a life of their choosing. It perpetuates a cycle of poverty and gender inequality, impacting the overall development of communities. Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan recognized the urgent necessity to break this cycle and empower girls to lead fulfilling lives.
The Child Marriage Free India Campaign ignited a wave of awareness and activism across the nation. Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan grassroots approach ensured engagement with local communities, religious leaders, and influencers to address cultural norms and challenge age-old customs.
The campaign began with workshops and awareness drives, highlighting the adverse effects of child marriage on girls’ physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. The Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan collaborated with schools and educational institutions to promote education as a powerful tool to combat this social menace.
The impact of Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan Child Marriage Free India Campaign was transformative. As awareness spread, communities came together to challenge the norms perpetuating child marriage. Young girls and their families were inspired to stand up against early marriages, recognizing the value of education and the potential for a brighter future.
Child marriage awareness program was conducted in 50 gram panchayats under the Access to Justice Project by Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan in collaboration with Kailash Satyarthi Children Foundation.
During the child marriage awareness program, 105754 One lakh Five thousand seven hundred Fifty Four people took a pledged that they will not do child marriage, will not allow child marriage to take place and will not participate in child marriage ceremonies.
Child marriage was stopped by filling 103 undertaking forms. Child marriage was stopped by two injunction orders of Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
16 October 2023 – Child Marriage Free India Campaign Program – Campaign program with notification issued and collaboration by all concerned departments Education Department, SP, Panchayati Raj Department, Medical Department, CWC, DCPU departments. Through the Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan , 102500 one lakh two thousand five hundred people from 100 villages of Harraiya Satgharwa and Balrampur block took the initiative to stop child marriage and took a pledged not to participate in child marriage.
Highlights of the campaign: Torch fire rallies in villages, rallies in villages from Gram Panchayat level to district level, school rallies and candle light rallies. Poster distribution, release and distribution of the book “When Children Have Children”.
WHEN CHILDREN HAVE CHILDREN
WHEN CHILDREN HAVE CHILDREN – TIPPING POINT TO END CHILD MARRIAGE Book authored by Mr Bhuwan Ribhu is an action plan to eliminate child marriage in India by 2030. It looks at the existing data on child marriage and lists 257 districts in India where the issue of child marriage is worst, which means where the occurrence of this evil practice is highest as compared to national numbers. Tipping Point is the threshold required in an ecosystem needed to tilt the scale of the problem towards a point of no-return. The Tipping Point of Child Marriage is the critical point after which the society does not accept child marriage. Tipping Point Methodology The aim of reduction of 60 percent of child marriage is assumed to bring down the incidence of child marriage to 5.5 percent in the next nine years from 2021, from the last available estimates i.e., NFHS-5, till 2030. An additional assumption is that such a focused and elaborate intervention against child marriage would have a ripple effect. In order to reach the Tipping Point, the Author proposes strategy at national and district level. a. National Level strategy where Governments, Institutions, statutory bodies, etc. work towards prevention, protection, increased investment, improved prosecution, convergence and use of technology for monitoring b. District Level strategy is similar to national level strategy but includes district administration, Panchayats, civil society, NGOs, other functionaries, parents and children who work collectively to prevent, report, and take action against child marriage
CHILD LABOUR
Rescue of the Child Labour
As rightly stated, children’s rights are the human rights of children with special attention given to the rights of minors to special protection and care.
Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan has been working on Child Rights and Labor since 2001 till now to protect children in conflict and crisis for District- Shravasti, Bahraich and Balrampur and now we are in Rescue and Rehabilitation. Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan ensures to work on the capacity of autonomous action to free the children from abuse physically, mentally and emotionally.
India, keeping its commitment to the international humanitarian law, ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1992. As per Census 2011, more than 3 crore children (between the ages of 5-18 years) are working in the country. These children are mostly trafficked by the agents through the use of deception, fraud, coercion on their socio-economically weak families.
Additionally, difficult conditions in their native places also force families and their children to migrate and find odd jobs in other destination states such as Haryana and Delhi NCR in the failure of outreach of social security programs by the Government.
Rescue of the Child Labour
Area Identification: On the basis of primary and secondary data and field research, we focus on local businesses freely exploiting children as child labour and bonded labour.
Target Identification: businesses promoting child labour in their organisation were targeted for raid to rescue the child labours based on the systematic field identification of such businesses.
Identification of children: Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan capitalize on its rapport and goodwill built in the associated communities to ensure children under distress are identified by encouraging the people to come forward with information so that they can be removed from their conditions of exploitation subsequently. Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan had also undertake such identifications through its team of trained personnel on ground.
Advocacy: Advocacy with the concern state department official, DPO ,Child Welfare committee, labor department, DM, SDM.
Task Force Formation: A task force was formed to rescue children labours consisting members and representative from Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan for you, SDM, DM, Labour department, Child Protection Deportment and Local police.
Rescue of the child labours: Task Force strategically rescue the child labour and bring them to the safe zone.
Detailed explanation: Upon identifications, complaints was filed with Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) such as Police, Labour, District Administration, and District Task Force against Child Labour (DTF), etc. to take requisite action. Subsequently, rescue operations was conducted in collaboration with concerned authorities as per standard procedures to remove the children from their difficult situations like forced labour, domestic work, commercial sex exploitation and other
Registration of cases of crimes against children: Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan , by creating strong on ground network of sensitized communities towards child rights, ensure that children and families are empowered to come forward to report crimes against children.
A child labor free campaign was run by the Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan in collaboration with Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation and under the Access to Justice Project. With the joint efforts of Anti Human Trafficking Unit, Child Protection Department, Labor Department and Bhartya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan Balrampur, 60 children were saved from child labor by running a rescue campaign against child labor in Balrampur district.
A case was registered by the Labor Department against the owners of hotels, auto shops and other shops, bakeries who were found employing child labor and fines were imposed.
1.June Action Month
– BJKSS conducted the action month with the help of AHTU, DCPU, Labor Department, CWC with the aim of child labor free Balrampur. During the campaign, 25 children were freed from child labour.
2. Action Week from 20th November to 10th December
– As per the orders of NCPCR – BJKSS conducted the Action Week with the help of AHTU, DCPU, Labor Department, CWC with the aim of child labor free Balrampur. . During the campaign, 12 children were freed from child labour.
Child Sexual abuse (csa)
Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)
Child sexual abuse is a horrific reality that affects millions of children around the world, with lifelong impacts on their physical, emotional and mental health. Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan has come forward as a ray of hope with its Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Programme. This important initiative aims to break the silence surrounding this heinous crime, empower children and caregivers with knowledge and create a safe environment where innocence is preserved.
Child sexual abuse is an extremely worrying and widespread issue that requires immediate attention. According to UNICEF, 1 in 10 children globally have experienced some form of sexual violence. In India, the National Crime Records Bureau recorded more than 100,000 cases of child abuse in a single year. The Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan recognized the urgent need to protect children from exploitation and provide support to survivors.
Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Program by Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan received an overwhelming response from concerned individuals, communities and stakeholders. The campaign began with informative workshops, seminars and counseling sessions for parents, teachers and caregivers. These sessions equipped adults with the knowledge and skills to identify signs of abuse and take appropriate action.
Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan also collaborated with schools, educational institutions and local authorities to implement age-appropriate workshops for children. The program focused on building resilience, self-awareness and communication skills, empowering children to protect themselves and seek help when needed.
The impact of the Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan child sexual abuse awareness program and legal advocacy was deep and far-reaching. The program empowered communities with information, fostering an environment where child protection became a collective responsibility. As adults became more vigilant, children felt more safe and confident in expressing their concerns. Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan provides mental health support and legal aid to POCSO victims. At present there are 60 cases where counselors and advocates of the Bhartiya Jan Kalyan Seva Sansthan intervene in the cases.
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WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
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