[Reader-list] RTF (Right to Food) Articles - 10
Rakesh Iyer
rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com
Mon Aug 10 18:41:46 IST 2009
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* `Child development has been neglected' *
You could spot him slogan-shouting in a rally with as much passion as
writing a research paper on hunger. A pillar and a moving force behind the
Right to Food Campaign, it would be no exaggeration to say that JEAN DRÈZE
leads his entire life and work, thoughts and action towards realising an
undiluted dream of a hunger free India. He speaks to SOWMYA KERBART
SIVAKUMAR on crucial issues in child development today and the need to
ensure universalisation of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
scheme of the government.
M. LAKSHMAN
* Jean Dreze *
A*CCORDING to the latest Human Development Report, India shares the highest
rate of child undernutrition along with Bangladesh and Nepal. How did we
achieve this unenviable record? *
* *Mass poverty is obviously a major part of the answer. But that's not the
end of the story, otherwise we would find similar rates of child
undernutrition in, say, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, where poverty levels
are quite similar. In fact, child undernutrition rates are about twice as
high in Uttar Pradesh, for reasons that are not exactly mysterious:
education levels there are abysmal, public health services are virtually
non-existent, women have no voice in the family and society, and so on. If
child undernutrition is to be abolished, far-reaching intervention is
required on all these fronts, as has happened to some extent in Tamil Nadu,
and of course in Kerala.
*What role do you see for the government in protecting children from
undernutrition? *
* *In India as elsewhere, the well-being of children depends crucially on
public intervention. Of course, in many respects the parents are best placed
to look after their children. But the rights of children, including their
right to nutrition and health, cannot be entrusted to the family alone.
Indeed, it is an interesting paradox of Indian society that children are
deeply loved, yet they are also terribly neglected. If we are serious about
children's rights, then every child has to be under the supervision and care
of public institutions such as *anganwadis *and primary schools. Going
beyond this, public intervention is also required to address the deeper
roots of child undernutrition, from mass poverty to gender inequality.
*How have different governments over the years viewed child development and
what have been their responses on the ground? *
* *Child development has been grossly neglected in public policy. One reason
for this is that children have no voice in the political system. In fact,
children from disadvantaged families are twice removed from the democratic
process: not only are their interests represented by others, such as their
parents, but the parents themselves are often unable to participate in
democratic institutions. It is because of this lack of voice that,
say, *anganwadis
*can remain non-functional for months at a time in particular states without
anyone taking much notice of the problem. The absence of any serious
political commitment to children's rights is another reflection of this lack
of voice.
*The ICDS is supposed to address children's needs in a holistic manner. How
is the programme doing on the ground? *
* *I have been associated with a recent a survey of ICDS in six States. The
contrasts are really startling. In Uttar Pradesh, for instance, *anganwadis
*are closed most of the time, when they exist at all. Even when they are
open, children rarely get any food, not to speak of other essential services
such as vaccination or pre-school education. In Tamil Nadu, by contrast,
most children are enrolled in the local *anganwadi *centre, nutritious food
is available there every day of the year, and more than 90 per cent of
children are fully vaccinated. These contrasts are all the more interesting
as ICDS is a centrally sponsored scheme, based on similar guidelines
throughout the country. There is an important message here about the
overwhelming influence of the social and political context in shaping the
outcome of particular policies.
*The Supreme Court has issued strong orders calling for the universalisation
of ICDS. What are the fiscal implications of doing this, and as an
economist, do you think it is feasible? *
* *There are about 14 crore children below the age of six in India. Suppose
the government were to spend Rs. 5 per child per day on ICDS throughout the
year. This is not a magic figure, but five rupees per day could make a
dramatic difference to the health and well-being of the average Indian
child. The total cost would be Rs. 25,000 crores, approximately one per cent
of GDP. This may sound like a large amount, but it's a trivial price to pay
to liberate Indian children from the present morass of hunger and ill
health. One does not need a PhD in economics to see that this is not only
feasible but also imperative.
*Do you really expect the government to commit one per cent of GDP to child
development, in the present climate of fiscal conservatism? *
* *I do not expect this to happen on its own, but I believe that it can
happen with adequate public pressure. Aside from its importance for
children, the universalisation of ICDS has tremendous political
significance. It is a crucial test of the ability of Indian democracy to
resist the dismantling of social services and initiate a visionary programme
of public support for children. If this happens, India could become an
inspiring example for the world, instead of being known as a land of
starving babies.
* *
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