UNICEF and Young Indians (YI), part of Confederation of Indian Industry had organised a meeting on ‘Children’s Rights and Business Principle’ here on Sunday.
Chief of Field Office, UNICEF office for Madhya Pradesh Trevor Clark speaking on the occasion said that business can play an important role in respecting child rights in their business and also be part advocating of child rights within the State.
Clark said, “Children are vulnerable and need support of the State and all other stakeholders including corporate.
The State of Madhya Pradesh has a challenge when it comes to its children - wherein 56 children out of every 1,000 newborn die before their first birthday,
73 new borns out of every 1,000 before their fifth birthday, 57.9 per cent children under age of 3 years are underweight, 3.5 % children are engaged in work and in last ten years State has seen decline in child sex ratio.”
YI Bhopal Chair Bhavana Banerjee spoke on the YI and UNICEF partnership and also shared about the work Young Indians are doing nationally and in Madhya Pradesh.
She said that Bhopal chapter is part of 32 chapters of Young Indian and has 5 student nets.
YI is an integral part of CII and is committed to work on advancing social issues.
She added that concept of child rights is new to YI, though they have been doing work for children, but it will be exciting to move forward on work children rights and business principle.
Resource Mobilisation Specialist from UNICEF India lalita Sachdeva made presentation on children rights and business principle and that it outlines three cores actions to be taken by the corporate which included policy commitments, due diligence and remidtaion.
It goes beyond respect of children rights to next step of supporting and promoting children’s rights.