State of our children

India has almost 19 per cent of the world's children. India is a youthful nation; the 440 million people in the country aged below 18 years are its future. But compulsory elementary education for the children aged 6 to 14 years is still a dream. Fifty per cent of the children drop out of school in the country. Oficialy figures report that approximately seven million children are out school. Around two million children under the age of five die every year. Almost half of all children under the age of five are malnourished. The country has the shocking distinction of having the world's largest number of sexually abused children. India also arguably has the highest number of children facing exploitation and neglect. Around 13 million children under the age of 14 work as child labour. The government of India is committed to the United Nations Convention on Rights of Children. Source: Thomas Chandy, CEO, Save the Children, www.savethechildren.in