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Child Rights and You

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Child Rights and You
Founded1979
FounderRippan Kapur
TypeNon-governmental organization
FocusChildren's rights
Location
Websitewww.cry.org

Child Rights and You (CRY) is an Indian non-governmental organization (NGO) that works towards ensuring children's rights.

The organization was started in 1979 by Rippan Kapur, an Indian Airlines purser. CRY works with 102 local NGOs across 19 states in India and has impacted the lives of over three million children.

CRY addresses children's critical needs by working with parents, teachers, Anganwadi (Indian rural child care centre) workers, communities, district and state-level governments, as well as the children, themselves. The organization focuses on changing behaviours and practices at the grassroots level and influencing public policy at a systemic level, to create an environment where children are a priority.

History

Established in 1979 as Child Relief and You, CRY was started by Rippan Kapur who wanted to ensure happier childhoods for India's children. Rippan chose to build CRY as an institution that inspired citizens to contribute towards this cause and also empowered local NGOs with funding and technical know-how to create a lasting impact. Kapur died in 1994.[1]

CRY participated in the 'Voice Of India' campaign as a part of the National Alliance for the Fundamental Right to Education (NAFRE), to propose a constitutional amendment for free and compulsory education to all children. This contributed to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE).

CRY is involved with several international forums on children's rights, including Girls Not Brides and the National Action and Coordination Group For Ending Violence Against Children (NACG-EVAC). NACG-EVAC is a national platform under the aegis of the South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children (SAIEVAC), which is an intergovernmental platform working in eight countries.

Impact

In 2020-21, CRY has impacted the lives of 6,61,752 underprivileged children in India.

  • 80% children in CRY project areas, between the ages of 6-18 years, in school. *In the 15-18 group, which is most vulnerable to dropping out of school, CRY's enrolment and retention rate is 14% - 26% better than the prevailing average in similar areas where CRY is not present.[clarification needed]
  • 86% children in CRY project areas, under the age of 5 years, prevented from malnutrition. *CRY's malnutrition prevention rate is 14% - 27%, better than the prevailing average in similar areas where CRY is not present.
  • 99% of adolescent girls, in CRY project areas, between 11-18 years, protected from child marriage.
  • 94% children, in CRY project areas, between the ages of 6-18 years, protected from child labour.

Campaigns

CRY has launched the following campaigns:

  • #YellowFellow, which raises awareness for the right to a happy childhood.[2] Launched in 2018, the campaign encourages people to show support for India's children by posting photos while wearing yellow socks in a creative way. The campaign has reached 1.7 crore (17 million) people across India.[3]
  • #LearnNotEarn, which was held on World Day Against Child Labour (12 June) in 2018 and 2019, helped raise awareness on the issue of child labour in India, and encouraged citizens to ensure that children are able to go to school instead of work.
  • #ItsAGirlThing, which was released on National Girl Child Day (24 January) 2019 and aimed to break the stereotypes associated with girls.[citation needed]
  • #NotYet, which was held on International Women's Day (8 March) 2020 and raised awareness of child marriage issues.
  • #PooriPadhaiDeshKiBhalai, which was held in 2021, was a national campaign to raise awareness on the economic and social importance of girls completing their secondary education.[4]
  • Body Shop India Partners With CRY, a 2021 campaign sponsored by the beauty products brand to raise awareness of menstruation, menstruation shaming, and its impact on girls and women, along with menstrual health and education efforts.[5]


CRY’s COVID Response & Way Forward

To ensure that India’s most vulnerable families stay protected, CRY’s COVID Response plan focused on:


Prevention:

  • Providing PPE kits, pulse oximeters, thermal scanners, BP monitors and medicines to all frontline healthcare workers.
  • Distributing urgent medical equipment like oxygen refill cylinders, oxygen concentrators, thermal scanners, pulse oximeters to public health centres as well as project teams.

Nutrition:

  • Providing dry ration kits that include cereal, pulses, spices, oil, sugar, salt, potatoes and soy chunks to ensure basic nutrition for children and their families.

Health & Hygiene:

  • Distributing sanitary pads and soaps to enable adolescent girls to manage their health and menstrual hygiene for 3 months.

Education:

  • Distributing education materials and workbooks along with organising digital classes to ensure that children are able to continue learning while schools were closed.

Pandemic Preparedness & Management:

  • Sensitising the communities about COVID-19 safety precautions by busting myths associated with infections, tests and vaccinations.
  • Raising awareness on the available supply of vital medicines and oxygen.


The program helped over 4 lakh children and their families across 19 states of India in 2020-21.


To ensure that the pandemic doesn’t become a child rights crisis in the long term, CRY is also working on a resilience and recovery plan for underprivileged children that covers:


Health & Nutrition:

  • Ensuring ongoing vaccinations to avoid susceptibility to other deadly diseases
  • Providing timely care to lactating and pregnant mothers
  • Addressing malnutrition to reduce infant/child mortality
  • Ensuring awareness around menstrual hygiene

Safety & Protection:

  • Identifying and handling cases of children being forced into child labour or pushed to become child brides to reduce the financial pressure on the family
  • Strengthening child protection mechanisms at the village as well as district levels
  • Raising awareness on the negative impact of child labour and child marriage on children’s future

Education:

  • Providing worksheets, guides and digital support to help children continue studying
  • Conducting community based study sessions for children in small groups using online mediums like WhatsApp.


Awards and recognition

CRY has received the following awards and recognitions:

  • Won Silver in the ‘Best Campaign In Non-Profit’ category at ET Kaleido Awards (#NotYet, 2020)
  • Won in the ‘Communication, Advocacy & Development Activism’ category at SM4E Awards (#OnlineSafetyForChildren, 2020)
  • Most Trusted NGO (2018)
  • One Of The Top 100 Nonprofits In The World (2018)
  • Awarded to Puja Marwaha, CEO – CRY, For Social Innovation (2018)
  • Best Multi Channel Campaign For A Cause (#YellowFellow 2018)
  • ICAI CSR[expand acronym] Award for Best CSR Project In Health & Education (2014)
  • CFBP Jamnalal Bajaj Award For Fair Business Practices (2014)
  • Quality Initiative Mission Award (2013)
  • Citi Woman Leader Awarded To Puja Marwaha, CEO – CRY (2012)
  • Fundraising Campaign Award (2011 & 2012)
  • Lakshya Award (2009 & 2012)
  • Indira Super Achiever Award (2003)
  • Marketing Excellence Award For Social Awareness (2001)
  • Viewers Choice Most Effective Ad Of the Year (1996)
  • Citizen Of Bombay Award For Rippan Kapur (1991)

Financial information

CRY was the first Indian NGO to emphasize establishing full accountability and complete transparency with the help of annual reports. All their financials and related reports are available for perusal on their official website.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Rippan Kapur Story". the hindu. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  2. ^ "CRY YellowFellow". times of india. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  3. ^ "CRY YellowFellow article". prnewswire. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  4. ^ "CRY & Lintas Live launch campaign to support girls in completing their secondary education - Exchange4media". Indian Advertising Media & Marketing News – exchange4media. 5 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  5. ^ "The Body Shop India partners with CRY on a mission to end Period shame". India Education,Education News India,Education News | India Education Diary. 2 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
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