With the nation going to vote in three days, CRY (Child Rights and You) has directly communicated with all political parties across the country a list of issues that parties need to keep top of mind. The Child Rights Manifesto (below) lists the issues that are affecting children's lives in India, but are conspicuously absent from the pre-election agenda of political parties.

"Like in the last Lok Sabha Elections in 2004, we have been watching the political arena closely to see if children's issues are reflected in the agenda of candidates," said education activist and CRY Director Ila Hukku.

"We find that despite the large number of children's organizations pointing out this noticeable gap, political parties continue to ignore the children of India and their issues. So we are now going directly to the parties, knocking on doors to remind candidates that the ultimate winners should be children." CRY representatives will also be speaking to candidates directly in face to face meetings.
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u00a0"As the nation goes to vote, we are reminding voters that one fourth of the country u2013 as many as 400 million citizens u2013 will not vote because they are children. As voters and candidates, we are charged with the responsibility to see to it that their interests do not slip off the political radar," said Dipankar Mazumdar, Director, Youth & Development Support.

Children like Anshu and Deblal from remote, unheard of Majhagawan, in Satna, Madhya Pradesh, who succumbed to malnutrition in 2008.u00a0 Because of adult unemploymentu00a0 due to landlessness and land alienation.

These conditions lead to lack of livelihood options, and combined with defunct government machinery (eg an ineffective PDS and non operational NREGA), force vulnerable communities in the area into abject poverty and food insecurity.u00a0 Satna is just an example of the rest of India depicting the situation for the voiceless and vulnerable u2013 our children, who are deprived of adequate nutrition, education and a life of dignity.u00a0u00a0

Child rights can only become central to a country's political agenda if its people choose to make it priority by ensuring government accountability to actualize the rights of children. Children must be look on as equal citizens, entitled to equal rights. So when you vote this time, voice the rights of children - think of children, think of the promises we made to them in our Constitution to live a life of dignity that must include food, health, shelter, education, protection and play.u00a0

This election, CRY - Child Rights and You, seeks to raise public awareness on the state of children in India and unite people to stand up and demand what is right.

We call out to each and every one of YOU u2013 India's electorate - to hold representatives, contesting candidates, political parties and policy makers accountable for child rights by demanding specific non-negotiables from the government. Working with India's children for the past 30 years, we know that we will bring in the day when all children are ensured their right to the childhood they deserve. And with your voice, we firmly believe we will.