BHOPAL: Nobel laureate and Bachpan Bachao Andolan founder Kailash Satyarthi has launched a campaign with the objective of children’s betterment titled ‘Surakshit Bachpan, Surakshit Bharat’.
“A massive people’s movement is imperative to combat increasing violence against minors, sexual abuse, prostitution, child labour and marriage, trafficking, etc. Every sixth kid in the world is a victim of either political or natural disasters. Approximately three crore children are refugees in countries other than their native ones,” he said.
Quoting an Interpol report, Dr. Satyarthi averred that 10,000 displaced youngsters have gone missing in Europe. Expressing concern over militants and Naxals using kids as shields, he said, “It’s society’s responsibility to ensure that every child is able to live like one. We must break our silence vis-à-vis transgressions against this segment. For that, parents should come forward.”
Issuing a clarion call to school and college students, he added that related discussions took place between him, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the latter’s counterparts. All these politicians expressed a desire to cooperate.
“At least once every week, religious leaders should state – from the premises of temples, mosques, gurdwaras and churches – that actions against minors are anti-religious,” the Nobel Peace Prize recipient – who hails from Vidisha – said.
Pointing out that billions are expended internationally every year on conflict and related preparations, he added that a much lesser amount is required to educate the world’s children.
“Even two-month-old infants are sexually assaulted. Gang rapes have spurted and the victims are murdered. Conviction rate is dismal. For instance; 15,000 cases were registered in a certain year under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act but only 1 % of the accused were sentenced. In numerous cases, even complaints are not lodged as those close to the victims are the perpetrators,” he said.
Furnishing grim statistics, Dr. Satyarthi said that in the past decade crime against minors multiplied five times and a kid ‘vanishes’ every eight minutes.
“The Internet is being misused for viewing pornography. As a preventive measure, basic sex education should be imparted to children. I’ve made a related demand to the Government. No stringent legislation is in existence against trafficking and one reason is lack of political willpower at global level,” he felt. v
Interacting with ‘Developing India Mirror’ Correspondent Ankita Das, the Nobel laureate averred that the Bharat Yatra is not just a campaign. “I call it war on rape, sexual abuse and trafficking. The growing menace of child sexual abuse and rape is not an ordinary matter. It has mushroomed as a moral epidemic so fast that it has to be addressed on war footing. It cannot be stopped by running campaigns. So, we decided to bring together all sections of society – government, intelligence agencies, businesspersons, faith leaders and primarily students and teachers and the common man across the country.”
What is the message that he desires to convey?
“The message is to break your (people’s) silence. India should not be driven by fear but by fearlessness and freedom. A new India cannot be built on the foundations of dread, which exists everywhere — across the nation and across sections of society. Victims of sexual abuse, their parents, neighbours, friends, relatives and ordinary people are living in apprehension, whereas the rapist and abusers feel free to roam around. Terror should be in the minds of those who are committing crime and not those being victimised. The menace goes on because of social taboo,” he says
Article Source: UNI