Smt. K.K. Shailaja, Hon’ble Minister for Health, Social Justice, Women and Child Development,
Shri Biju Prabhakar IAS, Special Secretary,
Adv. S.P. Deepak, General Secretary, Kerala State council for Child Welfare,
Kum. Sneha S., Children’s President, Carmel Girls Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram,
Kum. Devaki D.S, Children’s Prime Minister, Carmel Girls
Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram,
Kum. Divyalekshmi S., Children’s Speaker, Fort Girls Mission High School, Thiruvananthapuram,
Kum. Sreya Nair H.S., Holy Angels CBSE School, Thiruvananthapuram,
Kum. Ameena Shajudeen, Darsana Higher Secondary School, Nedumangad,
Priyappetta Kochu Koottukaare,
Friends in media, Sahodaree Sahodaranmare,
Ellaavarkkum Ente Namaskaaram.
I am very happy to address this large gathering of children who have assembled here to celebrate Children's Day. I am also happy to release the Children's Day stamp.
First of all, let me convey to all children present here my sincere love and best wishes on the occasion of Children’s Day. I would like to assure all children one thing : Your welfare is always close to our hearts, because the future of our world is in your hands. Therefore, when your dreams of a bright future come true, it is the future of the world that brightens.
Let me also compliment the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare for organizing this programme. Established in 1959, the Council has been formulating and implementing welfare schemes for children and actively addressing issues related to them. With the noble aim of making Kerala, a model in child friendly measures.
As all of us know, the birthday of our first Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru is celebrated as Children's Day in India. As one who loved children, he believed that children were like buds in a garden and should be carefully and lovingly nurtured, as they are the future of the nation. Panditji's faith in the education of children was very strong and we are aware of how the letters he wrote from prison to his daughter became every child's first window to the historical events of the world.
In fact, it is not just a glimpse of history that Panditji gave us through is writings and thoughts. The democratic ideals that Pt Jawaharlal Nehru had always upheld have greatly influenced the making of a stable parliamentary system in our country. Today, the sight of the Children's President, Speaker, Prime Minister and others on the stage reminds us of how deeply these ideals have influenced even our children. The influence of such ideals was visible in the addresses made by Kum. Sneha S., our Children's President, Kum. Devaki D.S.,our Children's Prime Minister and Kum. Divyalekshmi S., Chidren's Speaker. These speeches and the conviction in their words are a clear indication of a safe future for our democracy.
Every Children's Day reminds society of its obligations to ensure the essential rights of children. And, we elders are reminded of the very limited rights and facilities we enjoyed in our childhood. Today, Education is a fundamental right of every child. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 obligates the State to provide education to children in the age group of 6-14 years. In Kerala, we have strengthened the foundations of education by upgrading thousands of our classrooms as smart classrooms.
With so much care, attention and facilities, today's children are certainly more fortunate than the children fifty years ago. In fact, seeing so many children here, my mind goes back to my school in the village in Erode district of Tamil Nadu. It did not have a single fan and its roof was made with Mangalore tiles. You can imagine how hot it must have been! But, I was only proud that my journey had started from that classroom and the scorching heat under that tiled roof! Now, almost everyday, I think of how, with the help of former students, I can contribute to the welfare of that school.
This feeling of the urge to give back to society arises from the democratic ideals that have always shaped our sense of social responsibility. Such a feeling comes not just from education, but from the social interactions that we are always engaged in. We learn about our social conditions through such interactions. I have a feeling that the unhealthy competition in today's education is hampering the process of social interactions among our children.
The celebration of Children's Day must enable each one of us to think about the condition of children in some parts of our country and the world. Poverty is a major issue in many countries all over the world and it affects the physical, educational and emotional growth of children, rendering them unable to achieve their full potential or to participate as full and equal members of society. Just like poverty, our attitude towards the rights of children also causes problems. In our homes, when a boy's needs become more important than a girl's needs, we are violating gender equality. In fact, every boy must ensure that the girls in his house or classroom get equal rights and consideration as he gets. The education that children get must equip them with adequate knowledge about their rights as children.
Here also, I must also say that your generation is more far more fortunate than the generations of people like me, because, in our childhood, we had very little idea about our rights as children. In those days, we accepted whatever was offered to us by elders, thinking that we were entitled to rights only after growing up as adults. Today, we realize the fact that children form almost 40% of the population of this country and we are unanimous in our resolution to protect the rights of children.
It is the determination to protect the rights of children that has inspired the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare to work towards making Kerala a truly child friendly State. Apart from the introduction of Amma Thottil in 15 places to receive abandoned babies, the Council has been providing shelter to children with a view to rehabilitate them. As Patron of the Council, I am particularly happy to see the thrust given by the Council for Child Welfare to the handling of Autism, through a special school for affected children. The Council's programmes like Foster Care and Sponsor a Child have won wide appreciation. It is satisfying to note that the council also efficiently oversees the process of adoption in Kerala, as per laid down procedure.
I would like to conclude by requesting all children sitting here to have their eyes and ears opened to the pulse of our society. I would request them to make full use of the educational opportunities offered by their schools. By cultivating good habits, maintaining good friends, by voicing their rights and by respecting the rights of others, our children can attain high positions in life. They can also convince our society that they are the greatest resources for the prosperity of our country.
I sincerely appreciate all the children who have won prizes in various competitions held as part of the Children's Day celebrations. I hope and wish that the Council's desire to make Kerala the most child-friendly State in India will become a reality soon. I also congratulate Master Aneet Salu whose design has been selected for the children's Day stamp.
I compliment the organizers for conducting this programme in a befitting manner.
Ellavarkkum Ente Shishu Dina Aashamsakal
Nanni
Jai Hind
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