#FairStart for Every Child to Curb Persisting Inequities

What? 
#FairStart For Children

When?
Wednesday, May 25

Where?
UNICEF HQ, New Delhi

#FairStart for every child to curb persisting inequities is a great initiative taken by UNICEF India. The 'Fair Start' film unveiled by the organization as part of a social and social media campaign has drawn the main attention to a chronic disease of our society which is about inequities being faced by a large section of children in our country impacting their survival, development and growth severely. 

Children from various backgrounds participated in this impactful film that gives an insight into the lives of children who have tremendous potential but get fewer opportunities to grow up healthy and safe due to their environmental and societal issues. They have very less chances to attend school and to gain formal learning. They have higher chances of getting married as children.

Caroline Den Dulk, Chief Advocacy & Communication, UNICEF India stated that every child must get a fair chance in his/her life and deserves adequate nutrition, safety, protection, education, health care, and emotional growth. This campaign is focused on these purposes and it aims to draw attention to the lives of many children across the country who are deprived of these fundamental rights, often at times concluded simply based on where they are born. Every child in this country, and on this earth must get a fair and equal amount of opportunities  in life, irrespective of their ethnicity, gender, caste, region, or religion. Girls in India deserve an equal chance in life too, but on an average 2.22 million girls marry early every year in India, and 23% girls between 15-19 years of age experience physical or sexual violence.

The 'Fair Start' film has been produced with the participation of  group of children from various segments of life who brought their own real life stories to the film set. These kids played cast and crew themselves with the help of professionals in film, arts, and acting. The crew included Sahil, Cameraman who learned the art and tricks of shooting from some known professional. Sahil is just fourteen and wants to be a successful cricketer in his life. He studies in an English Medium School and helps his uncle in laundry work. He has his mother and a sister at home.  His father passed away 3 years back.

We also met Suraj, 10, Art Director, and Belinda, 13, Costume Designer.  Suraj has three sisters and two brothers. His mother is having a hard time selling corn. He prefers to help his mother at her work as and when he is able to. His father is an alcoholic and fights at home. Suraj has an ambition of becoming a scientist when he grows up. 

Belinda goes to a municipal school. Her brother Shawn is Cameraman/Director of this film. She works at home after school hours. She aspires to becomes an accounts executive when she grows up. Shawn, 15, has six siblings. His father left home many years back and mother is not keeping well for quite sometime. That made him to mature up fast and take the responsibility of his family. He decided to work and earn money for his home. He cleans gutters to make his earnings. He aspires to go to school as he is not able to due to his circumstances. He loves playing football. He is very helpful and caring by nature whereas his sister Belinda is shy in nature. 

The message of #FairStart is quite clear. Everyone has to share the responsibility in sharing the message, spreading it across communities and social media, doing whatever possible in this regard, and participate in the activity. It is not going to bring results in a short span as it involves a change in mindset and acceptability. Giving a chance to these kids brought out wonderful results from them at such a young age. The same holds true for all other children who are craving for a fair chance in life. 

Why Only The Woman Has To Pay The Price ----- WHY?

          Why is it that our society is so insensitive towards the fairer sex? On one hand, religion and culture prevalent in our society worship Goddesses and on the other hand, females have to bear such abuses in their life that being born as a girl is thought to be a curse by them.

          Not just one but at numerous stages of her life, she has to pay the price of being a woman. WHY?

           Be it -------- even before her birth i.e. female infanticide to child abuse (either sexual or child labor or child marriage or gender discrimination among siblings for that matter) to eve teasing in her youth to dowry harassment after marriage to being asked to keep on ' adjusting & compromising ' to keep the marriage alive whether for her own sake or for her family's pride or for her children (being a concerned mother) to bear the brunt of the in-laws if she gives birth to a girl child -------- at every stage, she curses herself as to WHY! -------- WHY only she has to bear the brunt while at all the above stages it is the man who is responsible too (or perhaps he is the only one responsible).

          Let's review all the above stages to strengthen my point :-

• Before Birth -- The female infanticide -- girl child being killed for no fault of hers -- Who was responsible for it -- the Father (male) -- His X Chromosome instead of Y decided the whole thing -- then why is she being killed! Why does not the responsible Father get the rebuke of all (if at all someone has to be killed for this stupid reason).
• After Birth -- Child abuse -- innocent child unaware of this wild forest and carnivorous beasts roaming around -- bears the brunt -- WHY? -- Why should not these beasts be burnt?
• Child Labor -- Missing her right to education and bearing with elderly chores -- Why should the child suffer -- Why not the Employer?
• Child Marriage -- The girl who wishes to study and make her career -- being thrown in front of a male  in the form of a bride to bear the brunt of this ridiculous tradition at a tender age -- Why should not the parents of both the boy and the girl be punished?
• Gender Discrimination Among Siblings -- Girls directed by the parents to be docile and boys allowed to do anything they wish to with full elan -- it is this discrimination right from childhood which later on leads to eve teasing and other abuses hurled by boys in their youth.
• Dowry Harassment -- One of the prime evils of all times -- The girl completes the boy after marriage -- and bears his children -- then what for is she paying the dowry to him and his family? 
• After Marriage -- The wife and husband are the two pans of a  scale which should be proportionately balanced at all times -- then how come our society always expects girls to adjust to keep everything alive in their life? Why all the calmness is expected from her (and that also rewardless) and all the aggression is the birth right of the male? -- Why do men feel elated after venting out their frustration on women -- What is it that holds back men from accepting their misdeeds and correcting them gracefully?

WHY can't this gender inequality vanish in thin air for PEACE to prevail at both the ends and proper balance  be maintained in the society?

There is an urgent need to RingTheBell for all the above causes...
To guide the would - be parents not to imbalance the sex ratio and parent their boys in such a manner that they value gender equality with applause.