Street Children - Whose Responsibility?

Street Children – whose responsibility?

The street children syndrome is one of the most traumatic social maladies affecting many countries across the globe and is on the rise. They are the unfortunate ones who have been rendered homeless to face their own destiny with nobody to look after them. It is by and large seen that street children emanate from the lower strata of society where the families are afflicted by poverty and struggle for survival. In other cases they are the offshoots of the changes that are taking place in urban and semi urban societies, on account of the rapid rate of development and growth. Street children are present not only in developing countries such as India, China, Indonesia, Fiji, South Africa and so on but also in developed countries like Russia, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan etc. As per the reports of UNICEF published in 2009, there were 150 million street children across the globe in the age group of three to eighteen, of which 40% were homeless and 60% work on streets owing to poverty.

The problems surrounding this issue are far deep rooted than what one can possibly comprehend. To address this and to determine the responsibility factor, one has to look at the basic causes. Many a time children are abandoned by their own parents. This could be the result of teenage or unwanted pregnancies; or sheer monetary crunch for livelihood which has forced them to show the streets to their kids. In some cases they are victims of child abuse, whilst in others they may have run away from home as a means of escapism from domestic violence. Family upheavals resulting out of alcohol abuse, conflicts between parents is another major cause. In many other cases they are AIDS orphans.

These children are denied their basic human right to sustenance, education, and nurture. They are illiterate, ignorant and bewildered as to how to earn their livelihood. Hence they resort to begging to earn a few cents. They are forced to seek menial jobs in other informal sectors of the society. Sometimes they are lured into prostitution and pornography. Street children thus bear the brunt of acute social abuse and exploitation. They take to drugs, alcohol and violence. They are denied basic medical care and from a humanitarian angle, this is not at all a healthy sign for any country. Some of these children could be talented but may not realize their own potential. Hence, from an economic point of view too, these children are a gross waste and neglect of productive human resources.

This social concern needs to be addressed at an early stage itself, assuming that it is not too late already. Otherwise it can perpetrate more social evils such as crime, violence, petty thefts, vandalism etc.

Let’s ask ourselves the million dollar question - ‘Whose responsibility are they?’ Well, the primary responsibility vests with the parents and each and every law abiding citizen. Starting from there and moving upwards they are the joint responsibility of the governing bodies, the local council, district, suburb, town and city ending with the government. The government through NGO’s could identify smart street kids and help them to learn a skill and develop a vocation. In fact, an NGO in India has helped a group of enthusiastic children and trained them in traffic control procedures. Today one can find them as traffic assistants trying to control the congestion. In a country like Fiji, which thrives on tourism these children can be trained to operate as tour guides. This will help them earn a decent livelihood. Rehabilitation and trauma centers should counsel such children and show them the path for a secure future. Community support groups should volunteer in this mission. Most importantly parents and families have to be counseled and trained about their role and responsibilities. Training centers attached to NGO’s should take up this cause and spread awareness of AIDS and other communicable diseases affecting the younger generation in the country.

In a remote village of Chibombo district in Zambia, the Development Aid from people to people {DAPP}, a local NGO, recognised the problem of street kids and helped a number of children lead normal lives. They went to the extent of providing a thatched hut for these children initially and then established a settlement for them, coined as the Children’s Town. When all are under one roof, it becomes much easier to implement programs for their benefit.
We need to understand that street children differ from orphans with a normal family background. Due to their unhealthy habits and alcohol/drug addiction and other psychological problems they need specific attention and help. It is vital to create establishments where such children can be housed, a place where their physical, mental, social and spiritual treatment can be initiated. Help activities by non-governmental organizations do get complicated when the children’s parents are living. In such cases these children cannot be taken under government custody unless and until their background and parental rights are clarified, so as to avoid any complications. This is when the Government has to step in with regulatory measures to ease the reform process. Sadly nothing seems to be happening and it is appalling to note that the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 prevalent in India remains in books and those who are supposed to enforce it have not even heard about it.
Media is the best forum to open people’s eyes and mind to such issues. However we find that the Indian media is busy sensationalizing and making sure nobody forgets the minute details of the never ending scams and scandals but how many of us can think of local news channel that constantly reminds its citizens of humanitarian issues and make the people think as to what can be done as a collective body?
NGOs and individuals are putting in their might to ensure that the rights of these children are not suppressed. However the problem of street kids is growing so fast that those involved in getting children out of the streets certainly deserve a pat on the back.
Readers – it is for you to make a choice and work towards making a difference in their lives. Each one of us can do it and we have to wake up to this cause, if we still have not 

Love your Planet, Don't abuse it

Love your Planet, don’t abuse it

One of the impending challenges facing mankind today with the ever increasing human activities in the form of economic, industrial and technological progress is to safeguard and nurture the very existence of our being, Planet Earth. Growth is vital if a nation has to thrive and compete in the global era. At the same time a fine balance has to be struck between advancement and environment protection in order to maintain nature in its purest form. Over the years, this basic principle has been consistently overlooked by all of us. This has resulted in a myriad of environmental issues for which there are no rapid remedies but nonetheless are issues of grave concern.

Global warming is one of the most critical threats to our planet. In simple terms, this phenomenon can be defined as a “gradual warming of the Earth’s atmosphere caused by the burning of fossil fuels and industrial pollutants”(web definition). Human activities have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the build up of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. This has disturbed the “natural greenhouse effect” balance required for the normal survival of the species.

Deforestation has rendered our planet almost barren. This is also one of the significant causes of global warming since it increases the presence of carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere. As per the NASA Earth Observatory report the plants and soil of tropical forests hold approx 460 to 575 billion metric tons of carbon worldwide, with each acre of tropical forest containing about 180 metric tons of carbon. Wood has about 50% carbon and when trees are chopped, burnt and processed, the carbon thus released combines with oxygen and forms carbon dioxide. Considering the rate at which our trees are mercilessly chopped it is feared that tropical forests might be a thing of the past in next few decades. In this fight for survival, it is being little realized that plants having medicinal value are lost for good.

Deforestation poses a huge threat to animal life, as well. Many species of wild life face extinction. Plants and animals constitute the bio diversity of our planet. More than over half of these species thrive due to the tropical rainforests. As deforestation occurs, millions of these wild life species are diminishing at an alarming rate. Estimates reveal that almost 137 species are vanishing every day, globally.

Our oceans have not been spared by the human race, either. In the 1960’s only five per cent of marine fisheries were categorized as fished to capacity. Today that number has risen to an astronomical seventy per cent, as reported by the United Nations Environment Programme. Further, twenty five percent of the world’s shallow coral reefs have vanished and it is estimated that in the next half a century, as much as seventy per cent of the remnants might be lost. Take a look at any garbage dump and one cannot miss the plastics galore. These are grossly choking up our ecological system. Approximately forty million tons of toxic trash trades globally, every year.

All these forms of human activities are having a negative impact on the health of the perpetrator. Development and progress is being achieved, but at a huge cost which cannot be measured in monetary terms.

As one of the measures to combat this issue of global warming, Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty on climate change, has been signed and ratified by several nations of the developed world. By this, leading participants have committed to reduce the emission levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The treaty is a little ambiguous regarding the extent to which developing nations should participate in the effort to limit global emissions. This is because the per capita emissions of developing nations are much lower than that of the developed countries. This however does not absolve any of the developing nations of their primary responsibility in protecting the global climate.

The developing countries are also coming up with Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects. The developed countries which are committed to emission reduction targets contribute to the funding of these CDM projects and thus earn carbon credits resulting out of the joint venture. The United States for example though has still not ratified the Kyoto protocol, is under obligation to reduce their greenhouse gas emission levels. This can be achieved either by shutting down their factories or investing money in more expensive pollution control equipment or by getting carbon credit from other countries for aiding a CDM project. It is worthwhile to note that online carbon trading is well on its way. This is a big step that is being taken by several countries towards mitigating the global warming concern.

Coming to the brass-tacks, the solution to this environment illness syndrome is not easy, and humans will have to struggle for a long time to grapple with this issue. There is no single solution to resolve any of these multiple problems. It is going to take more number of years to mitigate the climate ills than the time taken to create them.

It is time one starts thinking of ways to positively contribute towards the environment so as to save the planet. As the old saying goes “Charity begins at home”, one should consciously become aware that little things such as conserving energy resources, curtailing wastage of all sorts with special regard to those made out of rainforests, use of recycled papers and products, help in planting more trees, refrain from buying products or accessories where animals have been sacrificed. All these will go a long way in tackling this mammoth challenge facing mankind today. At the same time, international organizations like WWF, UNO; NGO’s; environmentalists and scientists are leaving no stone unturned in coping up with this issue. It requires a worldwide network of commitment and discipline. Even a single human being howsoever miniscule it may seem, can and should feel morally responsible and be more empathetic about the environment. After all, mankind is trying to save his planet from his own clutches.

Power brings both privileges and responsibilities

Power brings both privileges and responsibilities

Power is an authority which is derived or cast upon a person, group, corporation or an entity to bring in desired results. The genesis of power lies in knowledge, skill and strength. Every role which is assigned to a person comes with a certain amount of power that may have to be exercised in order to be able to satisfactorily play the part. In almost all key functional areas of excellence the element of power is present. Sometimes it is inherent by virtue of the profession and in other cases it is acquired. It is also inbuilt in the Military, Navy, Air Force, Police and Judicial System of a country, in accordance with the Charter.
Everybody aspires for power because it enhances visibility. It gives the authority to be able to influence and control the action of others, especially those who are not bestowed with it. People wield power in various capacities such as a parent, teacher, politician, executive, celebrity and also as a citizen of a country. For example, parents are empowered to shape the lives of their children and make them responsible citizens of the country and lead quality life with a sense of well being. A teacher or a professor, by virtue of his qualification and wisdom imparts knowledge and training to the students. A soccer coach trains and boosts the career of the sportsmen. Likewise a company executive has the power to elicit performance from those who report to him/her. A business man has the power to participate and contribute to a nation’s growth and prosperity. Government has the power to make policies, rules and regulations for the governance of the country. A citizen of any country with his inherent right of franchise has the power to elect the Government. The basis of power is the very challenge of commitment, performance, change, contribution and excellence that one aspires to bring about, within his sphere of expertise.
Power is however a two way street. It confers both privileges and comes with its share of responsibilities, as well. Powerful posts are the most coveted ones because of these privileges. The privileges depend on the nature and extent of clout one’s office or post can command. For example the Office of a President or Prime Minister of a country confers privileges befitting that post. Likewise any other Public office or those of a businessman or a Company CEO confers privileges commensurate with the demands of that position. Position, status, wealth, fame and honor are the add-ons of power. Power is essential for effective leadership. It enhances visibility and builds on the leadership qualities of those in power. For example a CEO has the authority to take decisions for the benefit of his organization. Power is essential for effective leadership. It enhances visibility and builds on the leadership qualities of those in power. Nations thrive on this magic word. The super powers are able to command their way in global economy because of their ability to influence the other less powerful countries which are dependent on them.
Empowerment thus can create wonders if used in the way it is supposed to be. There is an immense responsibility to not misuse or abuse power at any level and at any cost. Power struggle and power competitions can assume ghastly proportions and can have dire consequences which may take a long time to repair. One should be able to draw the line between exertion of authority and coercion. For example a company executive needs to be given the authority to be able to take decisions in the interests of the company. At the same time, he should be held responsible for exercising his authority judiciously and rationally keeping in mind the organizational goals. Take another example of celebrities. They have an unprecedented power over their fans and followers that they can easily influence their attitudes and behaviour.
Power should not be unlimited and needs to have a framework of rules and regulations within which it can be enforced. Overdose of anything can be detrimental. Greed for power and abuse of the same often leads to dire consequences as violence, trauma and several social problems. Newspapers are replete with such information. Family disputes, severe punishment meted out by a teacher on a student are not unheard of. Powerful countries have trampled on the economy of the less powerful nations. It is the struggle for power and also as a safeguard or to protect themselves against enemy nations that the nuclear proliferation treaty has emerged.
There is a moral responsibility also to not misuse power. Simultaneously, the pressure to be able to exercise power rationally is another responsibility. The higher the power, responsibility increases manifold. For example the supreme political authority of a nation or of its judiciary and the likes is an extremely powerful position. This indeed is a very admirable position. But governance of a nation and steering the nation towards progress is by no means an easy task. This is a heavy burden that comes with the powerful position. With power comes the constant pressure to perform and to be consistent. The power has privileges albeit comes with a huge degree of responsibility of steering the nation’s wheel towards the path of progress.
Therefore, it is wise to realize the boundaries of power so that it can be used constructively. Hence there is a moral responsibility also to not misuse power. As the renowned playwright William Shakespeare had said ‘O, it is excellent to have a giant's strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant’.