Indian Children march for basic rights

February 04, 2013 - Some 10,000 children from across India marched through the streets of the capital, New Delhi, to claim their fundamental rights, including right to education and health. “We have to keep demanding children’s rights from the Indian government until it fulfils its promise,” said Lise Grande, resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), while addressing the gathering on Saturday. Grande said promised to present the issue in next month’s international assembly in the UN and asked the children to give their suggestions and demands. The event titled Public Day March was organized by NINE IS MINE, an organization started with the initiative of the children, by the children and for the realization of their fundamental rights. The campaign is part of global efforts to make governments accountable to their promises of halving poverty by the year 2015 and ending it by 2025. In India, the campaign assumed the name “NINE IS MINE” representing the current government's promise in its Common Minimum Programme to allocate nine percent of the GDP for education and health needs. The programme was part of the 3-day national Children Consultation organized at St. Colombus School, New Delhi.
Karan Bhagat, a child rights activist, said students came from 14 states and each state delegation comprised of 9 children. They came from varied backgrounds of urban poverty, de-notified tribes, conflict situations and minority communities in an effort to mirror Indian society. According to papers presented in the meeting India currently spends about 4 percent of its GDP on education and 1.45 on health, which is one of the lowest in the world. The Kothari Commission recommended that India devote 6% to education by 1986, while WHO recommends that all nations should invest 5% on health.
The campaign provides children with democratic platforms to voice their opinions and perspectives toward influencing policies and decisions that affect them. Leslie Lewis, a music composer who performed at the event while addressing the children said children "are the future of the nation”. If their demand is met, country will prosper, Lewis, the well-known singer claimed. The kids involved in the ‘Nine is Mine' campaign are determined to be heard. “We are here to demand our right and won't get off till we get somewhere,” Sanjay Joshi, a Delhi student said.