Children

A PAN card is often a requirement for eligibility in various scholarship programmes and government schemes

The platforms are upset. The ban impacts a large chunk of their user base, and young people are among the most engaged users

Over a third of children under five years of age enrolled in anganwadis across India are stunted, the government has told the Rajya Sabha. In response to a question in Rajya Sabha, Women and Child Development Minister of State Savitri Thakur said 7.54 crore children up to five years of age are enrolled in anganwadis and registered on the Poshan Tracker. Of these, 7.31 crore were measured for growth parameters, and findings show that 38.9 per cent of children are stunted, 17 per cent are underweight, and 5.2 per cent are wasted. Stunting, wasting, and underweight are all types of malnutrition, which is a condition caused by an imbalance in a person's energy or nutrient intake. For the broader age group of 06 years, the data shows similar concerns. Of the 16.1 crore projected population of children up to six years in 2021, 8.82 crore are enrolled in anganwadis. Measurements of 8.55 crore children in this group indicate that 37 per cent are stunted, while 17 per cent are underweight,

Gangs in Haiti are recruiting children at unprecedented levels, with the number of minors targeted soaring by 70 per cent in the past year, according to a report released Monday by UNICEF. Currently, between 30 per cent to 50 per cent of all gang members in the violence-wracked country are children, according to the UN. This is a very concerning trend, said Geeta Narayan, UNICEF's representative in Haiti. The increase comes as poverty deepens and violence increases amid political instability, with gangs that control 85 per cent of Port-au-Prince attacking once peaceful communities in a push to assume total control of the capital. Young boys are often used as informers because they're invisible and not seen as a threat, Narayan said in a phone interview from Haiti. Some are given weapons and forced to participate in attacks. Girls, meanwhile, are forced to cook, clean and even used as so-called wives for gang members. They're not doing this voluntarily, Narayan said. Even when the

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that war has endangered the future of 2.5 billion children of the world. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 25th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World at the World Unity Convention Center of City Montessori School (CMS) here, Adityanath said war is not a solution to problems. "War has endangered the future of 2.5 billion children of the world," he said while discussing the address given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the United Nations' 'Summit of the Future'. Adityanath urged the world leaders to unite and build a clean, safe and fear-free society for the coming generations. Emphasizing the importance of the motto of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', he described it as a symbol of India's commitment to global humanity. Describing it as India's eternal message, he said that we have always given priority to peace, harmony and co-existence. According to an official statement issued here, 178 chief justi

World Children's Day is celebrated every year on November 20 and this day is an opportunity to address children's voices and the issues they face

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), three-fourths of those aged three or four years lack -- nearly 182 million children -- access to adequate nurture, thereby risking healthy development, according to a new series paper, published in The Lancet journal. The series builds on the foundation of the first 1,000 days of life -- referring to the time period starting conception until two years old -- and highlights how the 'next 1,000 days' (from age two to age five) is a crucial window of opportunity for providing nurturing care to children, researchers said. During this stage of 'next 1,000 days', children are often not in direct regular contact with health or education services, with fewer than one in three children aged three or four attending early childhood care and education programmes in LMICs, said the researchers. The authors called for an increased investment for this stage of child development, with a particular focus on improving access to high quality childhood care

Under the expanded Mukhyamantri Sukhashrya Yojana, certificates for eligible children would be issued by district child welfare committees, a government release said

The long-anticipated age limits for social media are part of a suite of measures from Albanese's center-left Labor government to crack down on technology giants

Majority of parents surveyed believe their children are addicted to social media, over-the-top apps and gaming platforms and more than half have observed behavioural changes in them which include aggression, impatience and lethargy, says a report. According to a survey of parents of children aged between 9 and 17 years in urban areas, 47 per cent have shared that their wards spend an average of three hours or more every day on social media, videos, over-the-top apps, and online games. Around 10 per cent of the parents shared their children spend more than six hours on social media, online games and videos, online survey firm LocalCircles said. "66 per cent of parents of urban Indian children surveyed believe that their children are addicted to social media, OTT or online gaming platforms and 58 per cent of these parents believe that this is leading to increased aggression, impatience and lethargy in children," LocalCircles founder Sachin Taparia said. The survey was conducted onlin

An Oxford-backed report says diarrheal diseases caused 1.2 million deaths in 2021, comparable to all violent deaths around the world. With 340,000 fatalities, it's also a leading cause of child deaths

NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo emphasised the need to find "Indian solutions to Indian problems and not follow European models," for solving children's issues, a philosophy he believes was his biggest challenge during his tenure as the chairperson of the apex child rights body. As he demits office on Wednesday, Kanoongo reflected on how his approach shaped his leadership and the initiatives he spearheaded. In an interview with PTI, Kanoongo said that one of his key challenges was adapting existing child welfare systems to fit the Indian context. Kanoongo critiqued the replication of European models in India and explained, "In Europe, children living with their grandparents are considered part of the extended family. But in our culture, we consider grandparents as immediate family. The challenge was to adapt such systems to the Indian context and give legal recognition to these relationships." Under his leadership, he said the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights .

Children and teenagers now have access to books that unpack how the caste system dehumanises people on the lower rungs of the hierarchy and how they reclaim their dignity

An Australian Court has upheld AUD 610,500 fine against Elon Musk's X for failing to address child abuse content amid crackdown on tech companies

Of the 18,179 adoptions recorded since 2019, only 1,404 involved children with special needs even as the absolute numbers of adoptions saw an increase over the next five years, according to official data. Though the number of children with special needs for adoption has risen, the adoption rate is still significantly low, activists pointed out. Children with special needs require additional support due to physical, developmental, behavioural or emotional challenges. In 2019-20, India saw a total of 3,745 adoptions -- 3,351 in-country and 394 international. Of the total number, only 56 boys and 110 girls with special needs were adopted, the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) said in its response to an RTI query filed by PTI. In 2020-21, a total of 3,559 adoptions were recorded including 3,142 in-country and 417 inter-country. Only 110 boys and 133 girls with special needs were adopted in this year. The number of adoptions dropped marginally to 3,405 -- 2,991 in-country and

Survey finds that children above the age of 10 in major metro cities use GenAI once a week, mainly for educational purposes, while 20% use it to pursue personal interests

Children in West and Central Africa are increasingly exposed to extreme heat, which further endangers their health, according to a new report by UNICEF. The frequency of heatwaves in the region has more than quadrupled since the 1960s, according to the report published on Wednesday. West Africa experienced an unprecedented heat wave earlier this year that led to a surge in deaths. One hospital in Mali reported 102 deaths in the first four days of April, compared to 130 deaths in the entire month of April last year. It's unknown how many of the fatalities were due to the extreme weather as such data cannot be made public under the regulations imposed by the country's military rulers. The extreme heat is creating health concerns for children and pregnant women as it is linked to higher chances of stillbirths, low birth weight and preterm births, according to the report. Exposure to high levels of heat also leaves children more vulnerable to developing chronic diseases and contracting

Children in West and Central Africa face the highest exposure to extremely hot days and the most significant increase over time, according to UNICEF

Different events are being organised in schools and colleges to celebrate Independence Day. Here are some popular ways to celebrate

In March, a source told Reuters the FTC could resolve a probe into TikTok over allegedly faulty privacy and data security practices by either filing suit or reaching a settlement