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Child Centered Provisions for Air and Soil Free from

Contamination

Ms. Medhavi SharmaYoung Professional

Planning Commission (GoI)medhavi.sharma@gov.in

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1. BACKGROUND

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Most severe threat to children often comes from

the safest environment: their homes At household level two most

common threats to children: cigarette smoke (SHS

exposure)and household solid fuel use

Closer proximity to ground makes children susceptible

to adverse effects of soil contamination

Open defecation in urban slums: a major cause for soil

contamination

Air and Soil Quality as EHI

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Source: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/http://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/Sustainable_Development_post_2015.pdfhttp://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs292/en/

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Factors for Higher Vulnerability of Children

Developmental: exposure to smoke

during the formative years

Behavioural: unaware of the

hazard (e.g. eating soil)

Physiological: reaction to certain toxins more severe

in children

ENVIRONMENT

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2. POLICY APPROACH

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Monitorable Targets of the Twelfth FYP for Children

1. Improve the Child Sex Ratio from 914 in 2011 to 950 by 2017.2. Prevent and Reduce Child Under nutrition (percentage of underweight

prevalence in children 0-3 years) by half (50 per cent) of the NFHS-3 levels.

3. Reduce anaemia in girls and women by half (50 per cent).4. Ensure that all children receive a protective environment at family

and community levels and through health and child care centres, schools and other facilities.

5. Ensure that 80 per cent or more panchayats, districts and cities progressively become child friendly.

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3. CHILD CENTERED PROVISIONS

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Child Friendly Provisions

At Schools1. Stringent guidelines for Indoor Air Quality Control2. Pest Management and regular checks of playground soil quality

At Homes1. Well ventilated houses for better indoor air quality2. Smokeless chulhas

In Neighbourhood1. Development of eco-friendly neighborhood 2. Child audit of recreational spaces like parks, playgrounds, etc.

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Community

• Keep the environment clean•Education and vigil•Child’s perspective as against Child Centered Perspective•Child Participation

Civil Society

•Sensitization of the Municipal Corporations•Advocating a Right Based Approach to cleaner air, soil (environment in general)•Promote Innovative approaches suitable for slums: e.g. bio-toilets by DRDO

Policy Makers

•Mandatory pre-set evaluation criteria for project appraisal•Mandatory baseline survey prior to scheme formulation•Installing air pollution monitoring device in areas for creating a real-time database•Child Budgeting /Audits

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Baby Friendly Toilet DesignsA Community Radio Programme by

Children

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/ Source: http://blog.indicorps.org/

Leading the Way

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4. CONCLUSION

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Monitoring the impact on children

Engaging children as primary stakeholder

First and second level consultation with target group

and formulation by experts

Based on Child Participative

Methodologies

Baseline Survey Draft

Formulation

ConsultationPolicy

Formulation

*An example framework for incorporating CFCs in policies and planning

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Scheme Design Level

Project Appraisal and Management

Implementation

Monitoring

Leve

ls of

Impl

emen

ting

Chi

ld Im

pact

In

dica

tors

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THANK YOU