In order to ensure a safe environment for children and provision of nutrition, education, and healthcare for them, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday, November 20, launched the Tamil Nadu State Child Policy. According to the government, the policy has been formulated taking into account the holistic needs of children like their growth targets in their various stages, nutrition, education, healthcare, safety, and non-discrimination based on their sex.
The 26-page document enlists the vision of the policy to “ensure holistic development of every child in an enabling safe environment to reach her/his full potential and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for children.” And the Tamil Nadu government’s mission of the policy states that it will “endeavour to ensure that every child is protected from all forms of violence, abuse, and exploitation, shall have access to quality health care and education, will be able to freely express his/her views on any issue concerning him/her and to ensure the principle of “Leave no one behind”.”
Following the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which lays down the broad framework to uphold children’s rights, the Tamil Nadu State Child Policy will focus on four thematic areas: Life, survival, health, and nutrition; education; protection; and participation.
The policy then elaborates on further principles and guidelines under each of these themes, and to ensure which steps will be taken by the state. The policy will be put into action by “developing a comprehensive Plan of Action (PoA),” the document states. “The PoA will be drafted based on consultation sessions and inputs from different government departments and bodies, civil society organisations, and academic institutions to work towards common results and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals indicators. This will be done whilst encouraging child participation,” it further says.
As per the policy, Tamil Nadu will also do a regular child budget analysis to allocate resources for emerging needs of children, assess output, and so on. The policy is subject to revision every five years based on outcomes and impact “through an evidence-based appraisal and indicators of Sustainable Development Goals.”
The government further said Rs 207.59 crore has been paid as solatium to 6,493 children who had lost both or one of their parents to COVID-19.
CM Stalin also launched the Forensic DNA Profile Search Tool that would enable reuniting lost children with their parents, identification of inter-state criminals, identification of bodies, and others.
(With IANS inputs)