Children

China erasing Tibetan culture by separating children from their families

Chinese officials say the schools help Tibetan children to quickly become fluent in the Chinese language and learn skills that will prepare them for the modern economy

Data protection rules may be refined further to protect children: Vaishnaw

The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules will be refined further to connect children with technology while saving them from harms in the digital space, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday. While speaking to reporters, the minister said the rules will evolve based on the learning from their implementation. "We will refine it (DPDP Rules) further to take the power of technology to children while saving them from many harm," Vaishnaw said. The government issued draft DPDP Rules 2025 on January 3 and these are open for public consultation till February 18, 2024. According to the draft rules, digital platforms can process data of a child only after taking consent from verifiable guardian or parents. The verification can be done using voluntarily provided details of identity and age, or through a virtual token issued by an entity entrusted by law or by the Centre or state governments to maintain details of a person. Vaishnaw said the token system has been successfu

Prez Murmu confers Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar on 17 children

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday presented the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 17 children from , recognising their exceptional courage and outstanding achievements in various fields, including art, culture and sports. The award honours extraordinary accomplishments in seven categories: art and culture, bravery, innovation, science and technology, social service, sports and environment. The honourees -- seven boys and 10 girls selected from 14 states and Union territories -- were presented with a medal, certificate and a citation booklet as part of their recognition. Among them was Keya Hatkar, a 14-year-old author and disability advocate who was recognised for her excellence in art and culture. Despite living with spinal muscular atrophy, she has become a bestselling author and founded initiatives like "IM POSSIBLE" and "SMA-ART", which promote inclusivity and disability awareness. Ayaan Sajad, a 12-year-old Sufi singer from Kashmir, was honoured for his soulful ...

Pak airstrikes kill 46 in Afghanistan; mostly women, children: Taliban

Pakistan's airstrikes on eastern Afghanistan killed 46 people, mostly women and children, a Taliban government official said Wednesday. Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman for the Afghan government, said that six people were also wounded in the Paktika province bordering Pakistan. This comes a day after Pakistani security officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with regulations, told The Associated Press that Tuesday's operation was to dismantle a training facility and kill insurgents in the province of Paktika in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, in a statement, Mohammad Khurasani, the spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, claimed that 50 people, including 27 women and children, have died in the strikes. Residents in the area told an AP reporter over the phone that at least 13 people were left dead, adding that the death toll could be higher. They also said the wounded were transported to a local hospital. Pakistan has not commented on the .

Albania to shut down TikTok for a year over violence among children

Albania's prime minister said on Saturday the government will shut down the video service TikTok for one year, blaming it for inciting violence and bullying, especially among children. Albanian authorities held 1,300 meetings with teachers and parents following the stabbing death of a teenager in mid-November by another teen after a quarrel that started on TikTok. Prime Minister Edi Rama, speaking at a meeting with teachers and parents, said TikTok "would be fully closed for all.... There will be no TikTok in the Republic of Albania". Rama said the shutdown would begin sometime next year. It was not immediately clear if TikTok has a contact in Albania. TikTok, in an email response on Saturday to a request for comment, asked for "urgent clarity from the Albanian government" on the case of the stabbed teenager. The company said it had "found no evidence that the perpetrator or victim had TikTok accounts, and multiple reports have in fact confirmed videos leading up to this incident w

Australia's social media ban for kids sparks debate on advertising ethics

Marketers and platforms face scrutiny as new rules aim to protect children under 16 from online harm

8 deaths from unknown illness in J&K's Rajouri, Centre sets up experts team

The death toll from an unknown illness in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district has risen to eight, with another child succumbing to the mysterious disease in a hospital here on Wednesday, prompting authorities to set up a central team of experts to assist in investigating the cases and fatalities in the affected village. A Biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) mobile laboratory has been dispatched to Rajouri to expedite testing and identify the illness, officials said Twelve-year-old Ashfaq Ahmed, son of Mohammad Rafiq, passed away after being hospitalised at the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu for six days, officials said. He was earlier referred to Chandigarh for treatment but could not survive, officials said. Ashfaq's younger siblingsseven-year-old Ishtiyaq and five-year-old Naziadied last Thursday. With the death of Ashfaq, the number of fatalities in Badhaal village of Kotranka tehsil has reached eight. All the deceased belonged to two families from the same village. Deputy ...

Your child needs PAN card for various purposes: Here is how to get one

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

Age restrictions: Australia's social-media law set to be a case study

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

38.9% children under 5 years of age in anganwadis found stunted: Govt data

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,

Child recruitment by gangs in Haiti rises by 70% in past year: Unicef

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

War has endangered future of 2.5 bn children across world: UP CM Adityanath

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 2024: History, significance, theme, quotes and more

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

182 mn kids in low-, middle-income nations lack access to nurture: Study

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

Himachal govt expands 'CM Sukh-Ashray Yojana' to support abandoned children

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

Australia set to impose ban on social media for children under 16, says PM

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

66% parents believe children addicted to social media, gaming, finds survey

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

Diarrheal diseases kill 1.2 million annually; 28% casualties are children

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

Indian problems require Indian solutions: NCPCR chief on children's issues

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 .

Caste discrimination has no place in a modern India: Books, films can help

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