The moral compass of any nation is best measured by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens, especially its children and their future. In India, where children constitute over 30% of the population, safeguarding their rights and well-being is not merely a policy imperative but an obligation.
Despite a comprehensive legal framework and numerous welfare schemes, systemic challenges continue to impede the effective protection of children, leaving many to exploitation, abuse, and neglect.
Recent data underscores the gravity of the situation. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), crimes against children have seen a significant uptick. Notably, cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act have surged by 30.8 per cent over the past five years. These figures likely underrepresent the true scale of the problem, as many cases go unreported, especially in rural and marginalised communities where stigma and lack of awareness prevail.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing vulnerabilities. As per reports, school closures and economic hardships led to increases in child labour and child marriage. UNICEF reports that disruptions in education have long-lasting negative impacts, with school closures historically leading to rises in child marriage and labour. Children orphaned by the virus faced heightened risks, including trafficking and institutional abuse.
Amid these challenges, certain initiatives offer hope. For instance, Gujarat's Palak Mata Pita Yojana (PMPY), launched in 1978 and revamped in 2017, provides financial support to foster families caring for orphaned or abandoned children. Caregivers receive ₹3,000 per month per child, along with access to healthcare and education. A 2019 evaluation by Udayan Care and UNICEF found that children in the PMPY program reported higher well-being and academic performance compared to those in institutional care.
However, the program faces challenges such as delays in fund disbursement and limited psycho-social support, highlighting the need for systemic improvements. Similar projects are being implemented in many states.
At the national level, the government has implemented several schemes to protect children. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) form the backbone of this framework.
In response to the pandemic, the PM CARES for Children scheme was launched in 2021 to support children who lost parents to COVID-19. The scheme offers free schooling, health insurance under Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY), and a monthly stipend from age 18 to 23. However, implementation has lagged, with only around 13,000 children registered by the end of 2023, a figure that falls short of estimates of children orphaned during the pandemic.
Digital vulnerabilities have added a new dimension to child protection concerns. The increased reliance on online education platforms during the pandemic exposed children to cyberbullying, grooming, and data privacy breaches. A 2023 Human Rights Watch report highlighted significant data privacy lapses in the Diksha app, which exposed the personal information of minors without adequate safeguards. Although the Digital Personal Data Protection Act was passed in 2023, its enforcement and child-specific protections are still evolving.
Socioeconomic inequalities further compound these issues. Children from Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backwards Classes (OBCs) are disproportionately affected by child labour and early marriage.
A report by ‘Save the Children’ revealed that over 23 million girls in India were married before the age of 18, cementing India's position among countries with the highest number of child brides. These practices are deeply rooted in cultural and economic factors, where children, especially girls, are often viewed as economic liabilities.
Despite these grim realities, progress is achievable. The India Child Rights Index, developed by the Centre for Child and the Law at NLSIU, Bengaluru, provides a tool for assessing state performance across health, education, and protection indicators. States like Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, and Mizoram consistently rank high due to proactive investment in child-centric services. These examples demonstrate that with political will and community involvement, significant gains in child welfare are possible.
Civil society organisations play a crucial role in bridging gaps in child protection. Organisations like Udayan Care, Childline India Foundation, and Save the Children have been instrumental in rescue operations, rehabilitation, and counselling services, particularly in underserved regions. Public awareness campaigns, such as the Ministry of Women and Child Development's #ChildhoodNeedsCare, are gradually shifting societal attitudes toward abuse and neglect.
From a behavioural public policy perspective, the persistent gap between child protection schemes and their on-ground outcomes highlights the need for institutions that can generate locally grounded, evidence-based insights into the psychological, cultural, and administrative barriers impeding effective implementation. Policies often falter not because they are ill-intentioned, but because they rely on assumptions about human behaviour that do not hold in real-world contexts.
Universities, with their research infrastructure and interdisciplinary potential, are uniquely positioned to house Centres for Child Studies that can engage in rigorous analysis of both institutional failures and non-institutional challenges. These centres can collaborate with policymakers to pilot behavioural nudges, improve program design, and evaluate what works through controlled field studies. Investing in these academic hubs is not only a matter of long-term policy efficiency—it is an ethical imperative to ensure that every child's right to safety and dignity is upheld through systems that work.
Educational reform is also essential. Schools must go beyond rote learning to include comprehensive life skills, rights education, and psychosocial support. Creating safe spaces where children can report abuse without fear of reprisal is vital. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 touches upon holistic development and inclusive education, but it must be translated into classroom realities through teacher training, curriculum revision, and infrastructure investment. Teachers, as frontline child protection agents, need to be sensitised to the signs of distress and empowered to act.
Furthermore, decentralisation holds the key to better protection outcomes. Panchayats and municipal bodies must be equipped with funds, functionaries, and training to implement child welfare programs at the grassroots. Community-based child protection committees, mandated under ICPS, often exist only on paper. With proper monitoring, training, and incentives, these bodies can become powerful local watchdogs against child rights violations.
Legal reforms must also address the backlog of cases under child protection laws. Fast-track courts for POCSO cases exist in theory but are often plagued by staffing shortages and procedural delays. Investing in child-friendly judicial processes—including trained judges, dedicated legal aid, and protected testimonies—can significantly improve conviction rates and deliver justice without retraumatizing victims.
The role of media and technology cannot be overlooked. Responsible media reporting can raise awareness and galvanise public support for child welfare issues. At the same time, AI and big data analytics offer the potential to track missing children, monitor the implementation of schemes, and identify at-risk populations. However, such technological tools must be used ethically, with strict data protection and meaningful consent from guardians.
Safeguarding India’s children requires more than policy documents and welfare schemes—it demands a cultural shift. One that recognises children not as passive recipients of aid but as rights-bearing individuals with agency, voice, and dignity. This shift must be led by all governments, civil society, academia, and citizens alike.
India, a country that dreams of becoming a $5 trillion economy and a global power, cannot afford to leave its children and their dreams behind. Their protection is not just a humanitarian obligation—it is the foundation of any just, equitable, and truly progressive society.
(Amal Chandra is an author, policy analyst and columnist. Sony Kunjappan, is the Head, Department of Studies in Social Management, Central University of Gujarat)
(The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK)
