Family and Child Welfare

Family and Child Welfare 3 (3+0)

Lesson 4 : Millennium Development Goals and Child Protection

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

Child Mortality and Protection: Extreme exploitation, violence or abuse can lead to child deaths, both under the age of five and throughout various phases of childhood.

Child Marriage: Babies who are born to very young mothers are more vulnerable to
diseases during critical early years of life. Young mothers are themselves still children, and their own health is endangered during pregnancy and childbirth.

Violence: Violence against children can lead in extreme cases to death.

Conflict/civil disturbance: Violence against children during conflict/ civil disturbances
leads to child deaths as seen in Gujarat riots, Chhatisgarh /A.P. Naxalite action, North East encounters etc.

Abandonment and separation from caregivers: Children separated from their mother at an early age, especially those who remain in institutional settings for an extended period of time, are at much greater risk of early death

Disability: Inattention to disability increases children’s risk of poor functioning as they
grow, and also increases mortality risk.

Substance Abuse: Children without protection are more vulnerable to substance abuse and its effects, including death.