Most parents are unaware that children are also citizens whose rights are guaranteed by the Constitution of India, national and international legislation. It’s the duty of every parent to respect the rights of children and protect them from exploitation, abuse and discrimination, starting from home. In the majority of Indian households where disciplinarian parenting is the norm, child rights are an alien i.e Western concept. Parent-child relationships in India are still centred around command-and-control with inner family democracy absent. Most parents are unaware that children are also citizens whose rights are guaranteed by the Constitution of India, national and international legislation. It’s the duty of every parent to respect the rights of children and protect them from exploitation, abuse and discrimination, starting from home. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 (UNRC) — a defining international document which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children — defines a child as “every human being below the age of 18 years unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained”. UNRC came into force on September 2, 1990, after it was ratified by 196 countries including India. It states that every child has the right to: Life, survival and development Protection from violence, abuse and neglect An education that enables children to fulfill their potential Be raised by, or have a relationship with, their parents Express their opinions and be heard. Parenting red flags Here are four most common ways in which parents abuse and deny their children’s rights to dignity, freedom of expression, leisure and play. Discriminating, comparing and humiliating children. Parents often discriminate, indulge in favouritism, and compare children with siblings and/or others. This is a violation of children’s right to dignity and protection from emotional abuse. Pushing children into the academic rat race. Academic success obsessed parents push children into unhealthy competition, enrolling them in strenuous tuitions and coaching classes. This robs children of their leisure/play time which is essential for their overall development, prompting anxiety and depression. Spanking/ corporal punishment. Hitting, beating and intimidating children is physical abuse and punishable under the law. Children who suffer parental abuse can be removed from the custody of the parent. Denying children the right to express their opinions. In most Indian households, the dictum ‘children should be seen and not heard’ is followed religiously. Denying children the right to freedom of expression is denial of their right to be heard and voice their opinions. Guilty? Begin by involving children in all matters which directly relate to them. However young a child is, she has a right to be heard, even if it is deciding the colour of a dress! Encouraging children to voice their opinions and respecting their viewpoints enables them to develop into articulate communicators and decision-makers. Schools & child rights All schools — private and government — are governed by provisions of the Right of Children to Free & Compulsory Education (aka RTE) Act, 2009. Registration certificates…
