Children's Rights and Integrated Child Development Scheme In India: An Approach towards Equity

Integrated child development Scheme (ICDS) in India is operational since 1975. The prior objective of the scheme is to reduce child malnutrition and mortality. Gradually its objective expanded and it covers pre-primary education to children 3 to 6 years of age and maternal health services to mothers for getting healthy children at birth and reducing child malnutrition, morbidity and mortality. The child rights related to health care and preprimary education is fulfilled through this program. The ICDS is focusing more on excluded children. Some people are healthy from childhood whereas some are chronically unhealthy. A poor child malnourished is different from a rich child malnourished. Through this program all children are getting supplementary nutrition which will bring equal nutrition status among children belonging to all sections. The objective of this paper is to find out health and nutrition services to children and obstacles arise to fulfill the goal of equal health status of children. For this study purpose primary data (field survey data from) as well as secondary data (National Family Health Survey, National Evaluation Survey by Planning Commission and Other Government and Private Institutions and other government documents) are used for this study. Simple percentage, regression and ANOVA are used for this study.