CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION The primary aim for the protection of child in the State was to bring about a positive change and development in the status of an individual, a society, a state or a nation. The British Indian Government introduced women and child welfare measures in the State. For the first time, maternal health care was initiated. Following this child health below three years had taken the attention. The abolition of child marriage or the raise of marriageable age brought out radical social development in the society. The introduction of western education and the preliminary initiatives of Christian missionaries accorded greater role in modernization of social thinking. It cannot be said that the majority of people had left their traditional thinking for a more acceptable pattern of life. In the post independence era, Zamindari Abolition Act and Tenancy Reforms brought an end to the Zamindari system. The cultivators and the tenants got opportunity to receive direct benefit from the agricultural field. The various irrigation projects were developed in the State to improve the economic field for developing agriculture. Various measures were adopted to promote education among the children by implementing policy of Congress and Dravidian Parties. Congress Government gave emphasized to primary education comprised of standards First to Eight formed the basis of the entire educational set up. The primary education was free and compulsory to all. It mainly aimed at imparting the basic skill in relation to writing and computations. The skills imparted were not
215 specific to any trade or a vocation. But the skill was indispensable for the formation and development of specific skill. The primary education system was to adopt functional literacy and effective permanent literacy after the introduction of midday meal programme, to enhance the strength of the student s population in the schools. The child protection was towards progress through the policies of different governments since 1947.With greater spirit to carve out a fully developed nation, the Indian Government under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru vested greater attention on industrialization and agricultural growth. He conceived the idea that with total socio-economic growth child protection would follow automatically upon this presumes on the Congress Government in Tamilnadu under C.Rajagopalachari, K.Kamaraj and Bhaktavatsalam initiated general developmental works in agriculture and industry. Construction of dams and establishment of small scale industries as well as large scale ones perceived greater attention. Through employment and other means they aimed at social change upon this perspective child protection in Tamilnadu proceeded as five phases. Under the chiefministership of Kamaraj and Rajaji new programme of socio-economic growth was introduced as industrial development and educational facilities in the State. This developed a social awakening among the mass to sensitize the significance of education and social development. The Congress administration aimed at the creation of a classless society by initiating diverse techniques through the
216 administrative progress. Among them the educational endeavours stood foremost. Kamaraj was concerned at the fall of societal make up due to poverty and the consequent impact on literacy rate. Attempting to divert the rural based mind set of children, he converted schools as centres of hunger solving agencies rather than educational institutions. The Dravida Munentra Kazhagam (D.M.K.) as a political identity supplied high promises and came to the mental expectation of the masses. The D.M.K Government emphasized on the social policy as casteless and creedless society, the ideology titled towards socialism and as such it worked for the well being of the poor, and down trodden sections of the society. Policies reaching all sections of the society the government launched many protection measures as cradle baby scheme, anti-female infanticide, girl child protection scheme etc. The focus of the Government was towards welfare schemes as an outcome of political necessity. The government of Tamilnadu stressed on welfare scheme provided extensive hope among the people towards state developments Child protection measures make greater attention of the political authority along with economic and social changes. There were so many social organizations working as agencies towards execution of the programme. The special focus made towards child labour eradication and juvenile rehabilitation towards building new nation. All projects of government and non-governmental were successful and more programmes were referred towards sustainable support to the social cause
217 in Tamilnadu. It also understood that the inadequacies and therefore encouraged voluntary agencies towards implementing social development. The last phase of the study was the role of print media, television and other publication came to the rescue of the government to reach out the masses speedily. Childline facilities of the country provided major support system towards the protection of children against the various abuses of children in the State. Both the State and Non State actors were also provided more facilities toward juvenile rehabilitation it had been continued from governmental sources. The socio economic trend of the period was such that, more ventures are available towards development and all such rehabilitation measures contributed towards national development. The Nutrition and Immunization Programmes brought a progressive development in the health care of women and children. Ignorance about the legislative provisions of the State for the safety and protection of children made them towards employment. This made a remarkable brilliance in younger generation publicized and illustrating in the context of the abuse of child labour, so it was brought to the light of life by public, the children, parents and they became aware of the injustice to which these children were subjected. Child protection came as an offshoot of protection from the traditional abuses suffered by the women. When their living condition was upgraded naturally, it created an
218 environment for positive social growth. Keeping in mind the over all progress of the nation they conceived the idea of rapid agricultural development, industralisation and educational advancement towards this end. In fact, when the entire population was largely rural based and was immersed in poverty and ignorance child protection received the last priority for the administrative machinery. The political leadership understood the reality that with overall intellectual and economic advancement in the rural side, the children would naturally emerge as the beneficiaries. Legislation without adequate machinery for inspection and enforcement would be a dead letter. Therefore there was an urgent need to examine the available machinery for inspection and enforcement of legislation. So there was a need to request the service of accredited N.G.O. s to work along with the government machinery they may also be requested to act when the need arises. From the economic point of view poverty ranks first. So it became essential to eradicate poverty of the masses to minimize the evil of child labour. Childline, a telephone outreach programme committed to responding emergency calls to help a child in distress which had in operation at Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, Salem and Tirunelveli with the financial support from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. In this regard, the special toll free No.1098 has been earmarked across the country. Childline had also been introduced
219 by the Police Department using the same number in all women police stations to ensure that the services were available for the children across the State. Till such time, the scheme was fully funded by Government of India. Childline was also working in 188 All Women Police stations. Tamilnadu Social Defence Welfare Fund for Women and Children Rules 2002 was created to provide infrastructural facilities to the institutions, educational assistance to the total orphan or destitute children. The vision of Childline India Foundation was a child-friendly nation that guaranteed the rights and protection of all children. Childline reached out to every child in need and ensured their rights and protection through the four points as connected through technology to reach the 'last mile'. Catalyse systems through active advocacy, collaborated through integrated efforts between children, the State, civil society, corporate and community to build a child friendly social order and to communicate to make child protection everybody's priority. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India had appointed Childline India Foundation (C.I.F.) as the model agency for initiating and sustaining Childline's across the nation. Childline 1098 service was a twenty four hour free emergency phone outreach service for children in need of care and protection. C.I.F. undertakes replication of Childline, networking and facilitation, training, research and documentation and Communications and Strategic Initiatives both at the national and international levels. This was a project supported by the Union Ministry of Women and Child
220 Development and linking state Governments, N.G.O.s, bilateral and multilateral agencies and corporate sector. The Childline India Foundation was responsible for the establishment of Childline centres across the country. C.I.F. also functioned as a national centre for awareness, advocacy and training on issues related to child protection.