RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF CHILDREN

Children should grow and develop all round–physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. For this, proper care and facilities should be provided to them. Children need food, clothing, shelter, health facilities, education, protection, entertainment and above all, freedom. All children have a claim for these things in a society. These are the basic rights of children.

Children can demand these things from their parents and elders. Most of the children are not aware of their rights. Hence, it is the responsibility of the adults to make them aware of their rights.

Children are tender are small. Children are dependent on the elders. The future of every child depends on the care, facilities and opportunities they get during their childhood. Therefore, if children do not get what they need, they cannot grow up to become worthy citizens of the country. In order to grow up properly, some basic needs are to be fulfilled as their right.

Some Right of Children
All the Children have the following rights:

• Right to food.
• Right to clothing.
• Right to shelter.
• Right to education.
• Right to entertainment.
• Right to good health and proper nourishment.
• Right to name and country.

These are some of the rights. All these rights are called rights. It does not matter weather a child in rich or poor, has parents or in an orphan, is strong or weak, sick or healthy, all have the same rights.

Protection of Child Rights
An international conference held under the supervision of UNO in 1989 AD, concerning the child rights, passed the resolution to protect child rights. Nepal also signed the charter of the convection. The conference advocated the rights of children to name, to a country along with care from family, to good and health and proper nourishment. All these right are in fact, the basic necessities for survival. The conference also believed in a child right to lead his/her life as he/she wishes, getting an education, participating in sports and entertainment, etc. Children have the right to express their thoughts freely and independently.

It is the duty of every country to protect the rights of its children. Keeping this in mind, Nepal too passed a Bill on child rights in 2049 BS. There are some provisions in constitution regarding the child right, such as:

• Provision of free education for all the children.
• Special arrangements for the protection and promotion of children by the state.

There are many other agencies which are working for the protection of child rights. These organizations can be approached for help. For example, Nepal Children’s Organization helps the poor and orphans by providing food, shelter, education and health facilities. UNICEF is playing an important role in spreading awareness about the child rights. Similarly, ILO is working to abolish child labour.

Duties of Children
While children have rights, they also have certain duties to perform. Some of their duties are:

• Respect their parents, teachers, elders and love youngsters.
• Pay attention to personal hygiene.
• Help people in need.
• Sharing things with others.
• Use polite language.
• Study, play, eat and sleep at proper time.

ROLE OF INDUSTIES IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The industry which needs small amount of investment, small space to run and small number of labours is called the cottage (small scale) industry, or according to the definition of Industrial Enterprises Act, 2054 (emended), “the industries having a maximum of 30 million rupees of fixed deposit called small scale industries”. Such an industry mainly provides the employment opportunity to the people of the rural areas. It ensures use of leisure time, utilization of raw materials, utilization of labour and still and provides employment opportunity. Thus, it helps the economic progress. The industries which need large investment, skilled and semi-skilled human power and use of machine and tools and yield large scale production are called medium and large scale industries. According to Industrial Enterprises Act (amended), Industries having thirty million to one hundred million rupees as fixed capital are called medium scale-industries”. The role of medium and large scale industries is significant in bringing remarkable change for the economic progress of the country. Such industries produce goods needed for the nation. These productions fulfill the need of the nation. As a result, we don’t need to import goods from aboard. This types of arrangement saves currency. The saving can be used for industries and other sectors. Such industries help the development of agricultural sector. Similarly, they create employment opportunities, increase exports and mobilize resources and means. Therefore, medium and large scale industries have significantly contribution to the economic progress of a country.

INDUSTRIES AND ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENT

This is the age of industrialization. Only the development of industries can bring about changes in economic status of any country. There are some countries in the world showing quick pace of development. Those counties are called ‘Developed Countries’, like the USA, Japan, France, Germany, etc. All these counties are categorized as industrial countries.

Countries whose economy is based upon agriculture are called developing countries like the countries of Asia and Africa. Therefore, the measuring rod of the economic achievements of a country is its industries.

Nepal is predominantly an agricultural country and the development of industry is absolutely essential for its economic achievement. Thus, industry is next to agriculture which can contribute to making the economy strong and powerful.

The advantages of industries are as follows:

• Proper use of the country’s means and resources.
• Creates job opportunities.
• Maximum production will enhance export and reduce import.
• Helps to earn foreign currencies.
• Development of infrastructure.
• Increase in per capita income and bring improvement in the standard of living.
• Helps to support the development of agricultural sector.
• Country will become self-dependent.

In recent years, several industries have been established at different places, but, have not developed well due to various problems. The problems are as follows:

• Lack of sufficient raw materials.
• Lack of appropriate industrial policy.
• Lack of capital.
• Lack of skilled human resources.
• Lack of market.
• Lack of better means of transport and communication.
• Lack of proper machinery and tools.

Solutions to the problems faced by industries:

• Provision of market.
• Availability of raw materials.
• Availability of skilled manpower.
• Preparation of appropriate industrial policy.
• Provision of capital.
• Facility of transport and communication.
• Provision of storage.
• Political stability and good governance.