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In India, the struggles of girl children have been deeply rooted in societal norms for generations. From denial of education to early marriages and even gender-based abortion, these issues have hindered the growth and empowerment of countless young girls. To address these challenges, Rippan Kapur, an Air India flight purser, along with six friends, initiated a movement in 1979 to support children living in the Dharavi slums of Mumbai.
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What began as a modest effort, funded by a collective contribution of Rs. 350, eventually evolved into Child Rights and You (CRY)—a beacon of hope for millions of children across India.“Rippan used to see the misery and awful condition of children in Dharavi every time his flight landed. That sight moved him so deeply that he and his friends pooled together Rs. 50 each to start with the basics,” shares Kumar Nilendu, General Manager, CRY (West), in an interview with Local Samosa.
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From Humble Beginnings to a Bigger Change
Little did these 7 people know where this humble contribution of Rs. 350 could lead them. Initially focusing on Dharavi, the team behind CRY expanded its reach to other areas, learning about the issues faced by children and striving to create solutions. Their efforts led to the establishment of CRY as an NGO with a clear focus: ensuring that every child, particularly girls, has access to basic rights.
Today, CRY operates in 21 states across India, across the four major pillars of children's rights outlined by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC): Right to Survival, Right to Protection, Right to Development and Right to Participation
Under these pillars, CRY has spearheaded several grassroots-level initiatives to combat issues such as lack of education, child marriage, malnutrition, and child trafficking.
The Fight for Education
CRY’s “Right to Development” campaigns emphasise education for marginalised children, particularly girls, who are often the first to drop out of school under any circumstances. “Many of these children are first-generation learners. Their parents, who are often uneducated, struggle to understand the value of education. Creating awareness and enabling parents and communities to prioritise education is a critical part of our work,” explains Nilendu.
Since it becomes very difficult to make people even listen to them about the development, they adapt unique ways to win their confidence; through creative initiatives like folk dances, plays, and community programs, CRY spreads awareness about the importance of education. This way, it is easier to win their support, and even if they can't convince them, the NGO takes the help of the local Panchayat, NGOs or people who share the same mindset. They also step in to address systemic issues, such as poorly functioning schools, and advocate for improved facilities.
Speaking about the impact these initiatives have created, Kumar says “In our intervention areas, 90% of the girl children are in school compared to the national average of around 80%. Alone in 2023-24, we reached out to roughly 5 lakh girls.”
When more girls are engaged in education, the chances of them getting married at an early age are reduced. With this as one of the focus points, CRY was among the organisations that advocated for the Right to Education back in the 2000s. After the implementation of the Right to Education policy in 2009, One of CRY’s key achievements has been the prevention of child marriages, which often lead to girls dropping out of school. “We’ve successfully prevented 21,230 early marriages so far and if we extend education until the age of 18 from 14, it could drastically reduce such cases,” says Nilendu on why there is a need for amendment in the RTE policy.
Tackling Child Trafficking And Addressing Malnutrition
CRY’s other initiatives, apart from child education and child marriage, include combating child trafficking. CRY has also been instrumental in combating child trafficking, rescuing 46 girls from direct labour and 590 from indirect labour activities in the last year alone. They focus on both prevention and rescue efforts in source and destination areas of trafficking. The NGO also works tirelessly in remote and tribal areas to improve nutrition and reduce health issues. In regions such as Gadchiroli and Nandurbar in Maharashtra and parts of Odisha, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan, the NGO collaborates with de-notified tribes like Pardhi, Lamang, and Bhil to ensure children’s nutritional needs are met.
Collaborating with Communities and Government
In order to reach out to the remotest part of India, CRY’s efforts extend beyond advocacy and intervention—they actively collaborate with local bodies such as Panchayats, Anganwadi centres, and district education officers. Areas which are often left neglected for such rights are covered by CRY with their last mile approach. For this, they have an extensive team that works on research, reaching out, education, and aiding. Sometimes, when it gets difficult for them to reach out to certain areas, the CRY team collaborates with the government and local authorities. It has also been instrumental in helping the government in forming certain policies and receiving support from them. “The government is doing a great job in forming policies in the area of child rights but there needs to be a better implementation and monitoring of the same,” says Nilendu as CRY seeks to get support in changing the scenario of child miseries across the country.
The journey from 1979 to now has been transformative. “When we started, the involvement of girl children in education was just 60%. Today, it stands at 90% in our intervention areas,” shares the General Manager, who has proudly worked with CRY for over 20 years.
With unwavering commitment, CRY continues to pave the way for a future where every girl child has the right to dream, learn, and thrive. Their work is a testament to how grassroots efforts can drive national change, ensuring that every child’s potential is recognised and realized.