Child rights remain neglected despite economic growth: Salman Khurshid

New Delhi: The country may have achieved significant economic growth and gone through rapid transformation over the years but the issues of child rights and abuse largely remain neglected, Law Minister Salman Khurshid said Thursday.

"We have a deep concern over how the issue of children is being dealt with despite our country achieving significant economic growth," Khurshid said at the inauguration of the 9th ISPCAN Asia Pacific Conference of Child Abuse and Neglect here.

"We still have a lot of work to do on this issue," he added.

The three-day conference, starting Friday, will be attended by a large number of government organisations and child experts from across the world.

Khurshid blamed the poor economic condition of parents which forces them to send their kids into child labour.

Citing the example of the traditional business of carpet weaving in Bhadoi in Uttar Pradesh where children are working in their families, Khurshid stressed the need for bringing these kids into the mainstream without interfering in their family work.

"Supple fingers of children are engaged in carpet weaving which is a traditional business of many families in Bhadoi and Jammu and Kashmir. It is imperative to help them retain their traditional skills without having them subjected to labour and abuse," he said.

The minister expressed confidence in the conference which he said would evolve a way to address the issue.
 

Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

Pact with India not to hit 'brother Pakistan': Karzai

A day after he signed a landmark strategic pact with India, Afghan President Hamid Karzai Wednesday sought to ease concern in Islamabad, saying the accord won't harm relations with Pakistan.  »

India's Afghan pact puts Pakistan on notice

US sees no mediatory role for India in Afghanistan

Pakistan media note Delhi-Kabul strategic links

  Most Read

Steve Jobs, the man who began tinkering with gadgets in his garage and then went on to power the iPod, iPad and iPhone that became  »

Thank you Steve, forever, say Indian youths

UNESCO executive council votes for Palestinian membership; US fumes

Palestine won a first diplomatic victory in its quest for statehood when the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) executive council backed its bid to become a member of the cultural body with the rights of a state. Palestine's Arab allies braved intense US and French diplomatic  »

  News Pick

Death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs due to pancreatic cancer has brought into focus this rare and aggressive form of cancer, which is causing concern in India following a rise in incidences of the disease, especially in Mizoram.  »

We demand change, cry Manipur youth

It's hard to see anything positive coming out of the 60-day economic blockade in Manipur. But the blockade and counter blockade by two communities have  »

60-day blockade brings Manipur to its knees

Jurors in a London Crown Court were told that cricket betting syndicates were controlled and orchestrated by "shadowy figures" based in Dubai, Mumbai, London and Karachi and some $50,000 billion was gambled away in the Asian  »

Picture of the Day

Girl students of a local school displaying the post cards posted to the AMU VC appealing him to speed up the process for the establishment of AMU centre in Malegaon

(Photo: ummid.com)