HAQ: Centre for Child Rights

HAQ: Centre for Child Rights works towards the recognition, promotion and protection of rights of all children. It aims to look at the child in an integrated manner within the framework of the Constitution of India, and the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, which India ratified in 1992, and contribute to the building of an environment where every child’s rights are recognized and promoted

without discrimination. At HAQ, we believe that child rights and children’s concerns have to be mainstreamed into all developmental planning and action, and must also become a core developmental indicator. HAQ believes that the State is the primary duty bearer in the realization of the rights of all children. Children’s rights must therefore become an integral component of good governance. HAQ recognizes that children vulnerable to neglect, violence, abuse and exploitation. Those children who have come in conflict with law are also most often those who have been neglected by society. Therefore, the twin pillars of HAQ’s work are Children and Governance and Child Protection. To carry forward its mandate, HAQ undertakes research and documentation. It is actively engaged in public education and advocacy on children’s rights. It also seeks to serve as a resource and support base for individuals and groups dealing with children at every level. It not only provides information and referral service but also training and capacity building of all those working with children or on issues concerning them, and the children themselves. Besides developing skills for quick and incisive scanning of policy documents, commenting on them, creating database through documentation and research, this has necessitated working with existing networks, building of alliances, building partnership with other actors/stakeholders such as the bureaucrats, parliamentarians, judges and lawyers, police and media.