National Action Plan for Children (NPAC)

24-Jan-2017: Child Vulnerability map forms part of National Action Plan for Children

A district-wise map depicting problems facing children in the country was released as part of the ‘National Plan of Action for Children’ launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

"Child Vulnerability Map" is prepared by NGO Childline India Foundation. It covers 409 of total 678 districts in the country and shows prevalence of various issues affecting children therein.

A digital version of the map is also in the offing.

Different factors that have been mapped include child marriage, child labour, child trafficking, missing and runway children, children affected by civil unrest, child sexual abuse, dropouts & low literacy rate, malnutrition, foeticide, HIV AIDS affected children.

According to the map, for example, child trafficking is most prevalent in states like Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.

The worst-affected states in terms of malnutrition are Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Several states in the north-eastern region also fare poorly in this aspect and these are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram.

This is a planning tool. District officials will be able to match the various government services designed for children with the issues prevalent in that area.

24-Jan-2017: National Action Plan for Children, 2016 released

24-Jan-2017: National Action Plan for Children, 2016 released by WCD Ministry

National Action Plan for Children, 2016 (NPAC) was launched at a special function held to celebrate the National Girl Child Day in New Delhi.

The NPAC has been developed by the Ministry of Women & Child Development. It seeks to ensure the following:

The Action Plan has four key priority areas; survival, health and nutrition; education and development; protection and participation.

The NPAC defines objectives, sub-objectives, strategies , action points and indicators for measuring progress under the four key priority areas and also identifies key stakeholders for the implementation of different strategies.

The plan also puts focus on new and emerging concerns for children such as online child abuse, children affected by natural and man-made disasters and climate change, etc.

The strategies and action points largely draw upon the existing programmes and schemes of various Ministries/Departments. However, for new and emerging issues related to children; it also suggests formulation of new programmes and strategies, as required.

The plan takes into account the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and provides a roadmap towards achieving them though co-ordination and convergence with different stakeholders.

The National Policy for Children (2013) provides for formation of a National Co-ordination and Action Group (NCAG) under the Ministry of Women and Child Development to coordinate and implement the plan and monitor the progress with other Ministries concerned as its members.