Eleventh Five Year Plan

216 Eleventh Five Year PlanSource: Census of IndiaFIGURE 6.1: Child WorkersEliminating Child Trafficking, CommercialSexual Exploitation of Children, ChildPornography, Child Sex Tourism6.145 NHRC reports 22 that about 44000 children inIndia go missing every year. They are being traffickedfor prostitution, marriage or illegal adoption, childlabour, begging, recruitment to armed groups, and forentertainment (circus or sports). With the opening upof the markets and increase in tourism, children havefallen prey to operating paedophiles and sex abusers.With more women being forced into prostitution,the condition of children of sex workers is also amatter of concern. It is necessary to take affirmativeaction to ensure that these children have access tobasic services and rights that will protect them frombecoming victims of sexual exploitation. Efforts mustalso be made towards rehabilitation and reintegrationof trafficked children.HIV/AIDS-Infected/Affected Children6.146 Among the estimated 5.7 million people inIndia living with HIV/AIDS, 220000 (15%) are childrenunder 15 years of age. 23 There are many affectedchildren whose parents are infected and alive. Stigmaand discrimination, often associated with HIV infection,can lead to exclusion and isolation along withemotional and psychological distress. It ruins a child’schances to receive an education or a normal childhood.Economic hardship resulting from their parents’inability to work may cause children to drop out ofschool or become child labourers. Children orphanedby HIV/AIDS are exposed to exploitation, abuse, andviolence. The challenge in the Eleventh Plan is to endthe discrimination and reach out to children affected/infected by HIV/AIDS to ensure that they are protected,treated, and get an opportunity to develop accordingto their full potential. The chapter on Health detailsEleventh Plan commitment in this regard.Children in Conflict with Law—Social Integration6.147 The Eleventh Plan will review the conditions ofState-run homes and fund their development throughthe new ICPS scheme. The basic mandate of rehabilitatingand reintegrating children in conflict with lawwill be upheld, by urging training for law enforcementand child welfare officers. The Plan will stress onthe protection of children from violence, abuse, andexploitation inside institutions, and will adopt a paradigmthat recognizes that children in conflict with lawalso need care and protection. The challenge for theEleventh Plan is to condense the long judicial process22NHRC Action Research on Trafficking, Orient Longman, 2005, New Delhi.23UNAIDS 2004.