India

Equal rights for all

In India more than one-third of the population lives below the poverty line. The caste system still remains deeply entrenched in Indian society and has a corresponding impact on children. Girls have a particularly hard life.

Our work focuses on poor rural regions and slums in big cities. In urban centres our projects help street children, sexually abused children, and families affected by HIV/AIDS. We also support community-based rehabilitation programmes for children with disabilities, finance programmes for vocational training, and programmes to combat child trafficking and temple prostitution.

The challenges

In India there is a huge gap between rich and poor. Nearly one-third of the population has to eke out an existence on less than a dollar a day. It is primarily the Dalits, the “untouchables”, and the Adivasi, the descendents of the aboriginal population of India, who live lives of utter destitution on the fringes of society.

Although virtually every child is sent to school, only roughly 62 percent reach the fifth grade, and child labour is rampant across the country. Dalit and Adivasi girls are particularly disadvantaged. Not even half of all Indian women can read.

Please note: All India maps are based on the maps provided by the CIA World Factbook including the "line of control" in the Kashmir region.

• Our work in the country

  In India, Kindernothilfe places special importance on improving healthcare. Children as well as their parents and entire village communities learn important basic principles of hygiene and receive vaccinations. This makes it possible to prevent most lethal infectious diseases.

  Our projects also help families that are affected by HIV and AIDS. Infected mothers receive drugs and learn how to protect their children against HIV infections. Health Centres were set up where AIDS orphans can find refuge.

  Ensuring regular school education plays an important role in our work. Our projects give street children and working girls and boys the opportunity to learn to read and write. Basic education is a key requirement to break out of the vicious cycle of poverty. Specially designed rehabilitation services allow children with disabilities to attend a regular school and lead a perfectly normal life.

  We also support additional vocational education programmes for young people. Since temple prostitution remains a serious problem, we endeavour to raise the awareness of this issue in an attempt to finally put an end to this tradition.

• Key figures on India

  • 1.2 billion people live in India
  • 29 % of Indians are under the age of 15
  • 43 % of all children under the age of 5 are underweight (the second highest rate in the world)
  • 12 % of all children have to perform child labour
  • 1/3 of the population lives below the poverty line
  • 2.1 million people are infected with HIV (the third highest rate in the world)

  Sources: World Factbook, United Nations