Statement by India during the Interactive Dialogue (Theme: Children, Future Generations and Development) at the 26th Session of the Inter Governmental Working Group on the Right to Development (12-15 May 2025) delivered by Mr. Mohammed Hussain K.S., Counsellor & Legal Adviser, Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations Geneva on 12 May 2025

Mr. Chair,

We thank the panellists for their very useful presentations.

2. India, home to nearly a fifth of the world’s children, recognizes that the well-being, development, and rights of children are fundamental to building a just, equitable, and prosperous society.
3. India ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992, affirming its pledge to ensure, to the maximum extent possible, the survival and holistic development of every child. Guided by the principle of the ‘best interests of the child’, we have consistently taken legislative, policy, and initiatives to realize child rights across the sectors of education, health, protection, and participation.
4. The Government of India has launched Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, a critical initiative aimed at transforming nutrition delivery and early childhood care. This mission focuses on enhancing human capital, addressing malnutrition, promoting nutrition awareness, and tackling micronutrient deficiencies through strategic, data-driven approaches. India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), one of the world’s largest outreach programmes, now reaches over 77 million children under six years of age through 1.39 million early education centers.
5. Our National Education Policy is a milestone in empowering educational institutions with greater autonomy, while fostering multidisciplinary, holistic, and inclusive learning environments. In addition, the Right to Education Act (2009) guarantees free and compulsory education for all children between 6 and 14 years of age, while the Mid-Day Meal Scheme provides nutritional support to over 118 million children in 1.12 million schools nationwide.
6. India’s legal architecture for child protection is robust. The Juvenile Justice Act (2015) ensures institutional and non-institutional care for children in need. The POCSO Act (2012) provides stringent punishment for child sexual offences, while the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (2006) criminalizes child marriage. Corporal punishment is explicitly prohibited under both the Right to Education Act and the Juvenile Justice Act. Additionally, India’s Information Technology Rules mandate digital platforms to safeguard children from harmful content online.
7. Our commitment to eliminating child labour is enshrined in the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act (2016) and reinforced by the ratification of the ILO Conventions on Minimum Age and Worst Forms of Child Labour.
8. Institutionally, the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act (2005) mandates the establishment of statutory bodies at the national and state levels to uphold and monitor the implementation of child rights, in alignment with both domestic law and international obligations. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights was established under this Act.

Mr. Chair,

9. With over 158 million children in the age group of 0–6 years as per the 2011 Census—and an estimated 350 million children by 2050—India's commitment to safeguarding and nurturing its children remains unwavering.

Thank you.