Madhya Pradesh Samaj Seva Sansthan

Child Rights and Protection

Child:

For the purposes of this policy, a “child” is defined as anyone under the age of 18, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Child abuse:

According to the World Health Organisation, “Child abuse” or “maltreatment” constitutes ‘all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.’

MPSSS similarly specify “cruelty to children” or “child abuse” as ‘behavior that causes significant harm to a child. It also includes when someone knowingly fails to prevent serious harm to a child. All forms of cruelty are damaging –it can be harder to recover from the emotional impact than from the physical effects.’

These definitions therefore point to four types of cruelty:

Physical abuse: including hurting or injuring a child, inflicting pain, poisoning, drowning, or smothering.

Sexual abuse: including direct or indirect sexual exploitation or corruption of children by involving them (or threatening to involve them) in inappropriate sexual activities.

Emotional abuse: repeatedly rejecting children, humiliating them or denying their worth and rights as human beings.

Neglect: the persistent lack of appropriate care of children, including love, stimulation, safety, nourishment, warmth, education, and medical attention.

What Are Child Rights?

Protections given to children to ensure a happy and healthy development without fear of harm or exploitation
Rights that all children are born with,
Rights that are not based on gender, religion, ethnicity, class, age, race, or other factors

MPSSS too, with the support of the Diocesan partners, working with the children by Forming Children Parliament in various places through People Led Development Process. Now, we could see that the children are becoming more active and vibrant in developing themselves as well as doing good to their villages.