KEY INDICATOR: (From left) H. Sudarshan, Director, Vigilance, Lok Ayukta, Michel Saint-Lot, UNICEF Representative, and V.R. Sudarshan, Chairman, Legislative Council, releasing the report on `The State of World's Children 2006: Excluded and Invisible' in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: India ranks 52nd in under-five mortality rate in the world, which is a critical indicator of the well being of children. While the country records an infant mortality rate of 62 per cent, the net primary school enrolment stands at 77 per cent.

These and many more facts have been revealed in the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) report on `The State of World's Children 2006: Excluded and Invisible,' which was released in Bangalore on Thursday.

According to the report, which was released by Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council V.R. Sudarshan, over 30 per cent of infants in India are born with low birth-weight and 14 per cent of children aged between 5 and 14 are child labourers.

UNICEF has pointed out that millions of children are suffering from severe exploitation and discrimination and have virtually become invisible to the world. Millions of children disappear from view when trafficked or forced to work in domestic servitude.

"Street children live in plain sight, but are excluded from fundamental services and protections. These children endure abuse and most of them are shut out from school, healthcare and other vital services they need to grow and thrive," the report said.

UNICEF representative for the States of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Michel Saint-Lot, congratulated the Karnataka Government for having formulated the State Plan of Action for Children last year.

Plea to Government

Urging the Government to implement the plan at the earliest, Mr. Michel said the report is a "sweeping assessment of the world's most vulnerable children, whose rights to a safe and healthy childhood are exceptionally difficult to protect." In his presentation, Mr. Michel Saint-Lot said over 92 per cent of births in the State are registered. The average age of girls getting married in Karnataka is 16.8 years and over 35 per cent of girls aged between 15 and 19 years are married. Despite measures initiated by the State Government to check child labour, as many as 7,112 children are working in hazardous sectors and 32,188 children in non-hazardous work, he said.

The report has recommended national laws to match international commitments to children. Besides legislation to prosecute those who harm children, Governments should set up systems to report on the nature and extent of abuse. Child-focussed budgets and reform programmes need to be chalked out, the report said. Lokayukta Vigilance Director H. Sudarshan and Health and Family Welfare Secretary D. Thangaraj also spoke.

Over 143 million children in the developing world (1 in every 13 children) have suffered the death of at least one parent. And over 1 million live in detention, the vast majority waiting trial for minor offences. Over 171 million children work in hazardous conditions and nearly 2 million children are used in commercial sex trade, the report said.

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