CRY - Child Rights and You is an Indian non-governmental organization that works towards ensuring happier childhoods for all children. In 1979, Rippan Kapur, an Indian Airlines purser, started CRY with 6 friends and just Rs. 50. Today over 4 decades later, CRY works with 102 grassroots NGOs across 19 states in India and has impacted the lives of over 3 million children. CRY addresses children’s critical needs by working with parents, teachers, Anganwadi workers, communities, district and state level governments as well as the children themselves. The organization focuses on changing behaviours and practices at the grassroots level and influencing public policy at a systemic level, thus creating an ecosystem where children are made the nation’s priority.
Children’s Rights Issues
At 472 million, children account for 40% of India’s population. And yet, only 3.16% of the 2020 Union Budget was allocated to their development and welfare. In fact, the NationalPlan of Action for Children recommends that budgetary allocations for children should be 5% of the country’s GDP - India has been stagnant at 0.43% of GDP for the last two years. India’s children thus battle some of the worst circumstances in the world. An estimated 46 million children, between 6-18 years of age, do not go to school
33 million child labourers go to work instead of school
1 of 3 child brides in the world is from India
2 of 3 child deaths, below the age of 5, are caused by malnutrition
7.4 Million children are still not immunized; the highest in the world
There has been a 500% increase in crimes against children between 2008-2018
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was ratified by India in 1992, all children have fundamental rights which must be recognized by governments and citizens alike. Keeping that in mind, CRY works on 4 key areas:
Education
Health & Nutrition
Safety & Protection
Child Participation
History
Established in 1979 as Child Relief and You, CRY was started by Rippan Kapur who dreamt of ensuring happier childhoods for India’s children. Rippan chose to build CRY as an institution that not only inspired India’s citizens to discover their potential for action and contribute to the solution but also empowered local NGOs with the funds as well as the technical know-how to create lasting impact on the ground. Rippan Kapur passed away in 1994. CRY participated in the ‘Voice Of India’ campaign, as a part of the National Alliance for the Fundamental Right to Education, to propose a constitutional amendment to the government for free and compulsory education to all children. As a result of the ‘Voice of India’ campaign, NAFRE contributed towards bringing in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. CRY is a part of several international forums on children’s rights including Girls not Brides and the National Action and Coordination Group For Ending Violence Against Children. NACG-EVAC is a national platform under the aegis of SAIEVAC which is an intergovernmental platform comprising eight SAARC countries.
Impact
In 2019-20, CRY has impacted the lives of over 6.8 lakh underprivileged children in India.
1,63,541 children in CRY project areas, between the ages of 6-18 years, in school
97% children in CRY project areas, under the age of 1 year, immunized
88% children in CRY project areas, under the age of 5 years, free from malnutrition
2,064 children in CRY project areas rescued from child labour, child marriage & child trafficking
Campaigns
CRY launches campaigns that amplify the voice of children and their rights.
#YellowFellow: #YellowFellow is an award winning CRY campaign that mobilizes citizens to raise awareness for every child’s right to a happy childhood. Launched in 2018, the campaign is a fun yet meaningful engagement activity where the public is encouraged to show their support for India’s children by becoming a #YellowFellow. To become a #YellowFellow, one would have to wear/use yellow socks in a unique, creative or quirky way and post a photo of themselves on social media tagging CRY and using the hashtag #YellowFellow. The campaign has reached 1.7 crore people across India and witnessed unique participation by 2300+ people including 73 celebrities and influencers.
#LearnNotEarn: CRY’s campaign for World Day Against Child Labour in 2018 and 2019 that helped raise awareness on the issue of child labour in India. The campaign was based on the idea that dreams don’t discriminate but means do and encouraged citizens to ensure that children are able to go to school instead of work.
#ItsAGirlThing: CRY released the #ItsAGirlThing campaign on National Girl Child Day 2019; an awareness campaign that aimed to break the stereotypes associated with girls. With a strong focus on digital engagement the campaign brought together the idea that girls too can do anything, if given the right opportunity.
#NotYet: #NotYet was CRY’s Women’s Day 2020 campaign that aimed to raise awareness on the issue of child marriage. The campaign highlighted how girls in India are forced to embrace womanhood by getting married at a very young age, resulting in a loss of their childhoods. It sensitized the public to come forward and help girls complete their education and chase their dreams instead.
Awards & Recognition
In over 4 decades, CRY has received many awards in recognition of the work towards enabling better futures for underprivileged children.
CRY was the first Indian NGO to lay emphasis on establishing full accountability and complete transparency with the help of annual reports even when it was not mandated by the law. All their financials and related reports are available for perusal on their website www.cry.org.
