REACH INDIA CHARITY

Child Protection

Children experience insidious forms of violence, exploitation and abuse. It happens in every country, and in the places children should be most protected – their homes, schools and online. Violence against children can be physical, emotional or sexual. And in many cases, children suffer at the hands of the people they trust.

Children in humanitarian settings are especially vulnerable. During armed conflict, natural disasters and other emergencies, children may be forced to flee their homes, some torn from their families and exposed to exploitation and abuse along the way. They risk injury and death. They may be recruited by armed forces. Especially for girls and women, the threat of gender-based violence soars.

Harmful cultural practices pose another grave risk in various parts of the world. Hundreds of millions of girls have been subjected to child marriage and female genital mutilation – even though both are internationally recognized human rights violations.

No matter the circumstance, every child has the right to be protected from violence, exploitation and abuse. Child protection systems connect children to vital social services and fair justice systems – starting at birth. They provide care to the most vulnerable, including children uprooted by conflict, poverty and disaster; victims of child labour or trafficking; and those who live with disabilities or in alternative care. Above all, protecting children means protecting their physical, mental and psychosocial needs to safeguard their futures. 

Child Labour

Economic hardship exacts a toll on millions of families worldwide – and in some places, it comes at the price of a child’s physical safety. Nearly 1 in 10 children across the globe are subjected to child labour, almost half of whom are in hazardous forms of work.

Child Marriage

Child marriage robs girls of their childhood and threatens their well-being. Girls who marry before 18 are more likely to experience domestic violence and less likely to remain in school. They have worse economic and health outcomes than their unmarried peers, which are eventually passed down to their own children, further straining a country’s capacity to provide quality health and education services.

Migrant and displaced children

Millions of children are on the move. Some are driven from their homes by conflict, poverty or climate change. Others leave in the hope of finding a better life. Far too many encounter danger, detention, deprivation and discrimination on their journeys, at destination or upon return. 

Violence against children

Violence against children takes many forms. It can be physical, emotional or sexual. It happens in all countries and any setting – in a child's home, community, school or online . And for many children, violence comes at the hands of the people they trust.

Female genital mutilation 

Despite being internationally recognized as a human rights violation, female genital mutilation (FGM) has been performed on at least 200 million girls and women across the globe. Numerous factors contribute to the prevalence of the practice. Yet in every society in which it occurs, FGM is a manifestation of entrenched gender inequality. FGM can lead to serious health complications and even death.

Gender-based violence 

Gender-based violence is the most pervasive yet least visible human rights violation in the world. It includes physical, sexual, mental or economic harm inflicted on a person because of socially ascribed power imbalances between males and females. In emergency settings, the risk of gender-based violence soars.

Family Separation during crisis

Violent conflicts, natural disasters and other crises force thousands of girls and boys from their parents and caregivers each year. Some children are separated from their families during the chaos of a humanitarian emergency. Others may be pulled away by parties involved in a violent conflict. Those who receive early support in tracing their relatives are more likely to be reunified.

Children in alternative care

very child has the right to grow up in a supportive family environment. But worldwide, an estimated 2.7 million children live in residential care – and the actual figure is likely much higher. Growing up in an institution puts children at risk of physical, emotional and social harm.

Birth Registration

Every child has the right to a legal identity, but a quarter of children born today do not “officially” exist. These children are deprived of birth certificates – their first legal proof of identity – simply because their parents cannot afford it, cannot reach it, or face some other barrier to learning about and accessing registration services.

Justice for children

Across the world, millions of children interact with justice systems every year. They could be victims or witnesses to a crime. They could be alleged, accused or recognized as having broken the law. They could be in need of care or safety, or seeking to protect their rights. But justice systems do not always fulfil the promise of fairness. And in some places, they fail to uphold children's most basic rights.

Mental health and psychological support

Children exposed to conflict, natural disasters and other humanitarian crises can suffer severe psychological and social consequences. Mental health and psychosocial support for children affected by emergencies is essential. 

Sexual exploitation and abuse

In areas affected by conflict, natural disasters and other emergencies, people trust aid workers to assist and protect them. The vast majority do so with professionalism and integrity. But some aid workers abuse their position of power through the sexual exploitation and abuse of those who depend on them, including children