Every child on this earth has a right to get enough opportunities for a #FairStart in his or her life. Usually the real talent of a child gets burried along with his or her wishes in order to fulfill the wishes of his parents, or bend under circumstances and surrender to the situations. UNICEF India is already doing so much for the children, society and various other causes in the country. The same is being done at a larger scale worldwide by the global group UNICEF. UNICEF India launched 'Fair Start' campaign for the purpose of bringing awareness to the society and social media about persisting inequities that large chunk of children in India face that affects their survival, growth and development. The 'Fair Start' film showcases these factors through various angles. The film aims to get an insight into the lives of millions of children coming from different walks of life and having different backgrounds.
#FairStart campaign and 'Fair Start' film wants to elaborate the life of million of children who don't get enough chances in life to show their real talent hidden inside and who are full of potential but are devoid of grow up healthy, happy, and safe. These children have least chances of attending school due to their circumstances and situations. And hence they are less likely to learn, and have high chances of getting married as children. Most of these children are forced to forget their childhood at a very early stage and get engaged in some kind of work in order to earn money.
#FairStart is a drive. It is a mission. It seeks involvement from every element of the society. Every person has to contribute from whichever segment he or she belongs to. After all, everyone has a responsibility towards the children of the nation. Introducing this noble mission and showing the film, Caroline Den Dulk, Chief, Advocacy & Communication, UNICEF India emphasized every child of the country, or rather on this earth, deserves a fair start in his/her life and has an equal right for adequate nutrition, safety, education, psychological and physical protection, sanitation, and health care. The campaign is launched with its primary goal to draw attention to the lives of the children who are deprived of these fundamental and basic rights, usually at times determined simply by where they are born.
#FairStart campaign and Fair Start film tries to convey the message that every child should have a fair and equal chance in life without any consideration of their caste, gender, ethnicity, poverty, religion, or region. The drive in this regard is gaining momentum for last many years as UNICEF is working closely with the Government of India and many other associates to improve the condition of the most vulnerable and deprived children with an aim to ensure that each child born in this vast and complex country gets the best beginning of his life, and gets all possible favorable conditions to develop to his or her full potential.
Every child has a right for a #FairStart. As of now, more than 6 million children in India are out-of-school as per a study conducted by SRI-IMRB for Ministry of HRD, Government of India, in 2014. Census 2011 data says more than 10 million children are engaged in work in the country.. 2013 Report of Sample Registration System shows almost 3500 children die on a daily basis before reaching age 5. A data from RSOC 2013-14 shows 42 percent of tribal children in India are stunted during their growth and development. UNICEF-WHO Joint Monitoring Report 2015 data shows almost half of the population of India which is around 570 million people still practice open defecation. Another data from Census + RSOC 2013-14 states that although girls in India deserve an equal chance in life, but on an average more than 2 million girls marry early every year in the country. Another research shows based on a report by NFHS3 that more than 23% girls between 15-19 years of age experience physical or sexual violence during some point of time.
Den Dulk said that mostly such issues faced are severly complex in nature and cut across all layers of society. There is a tremendous change in mindset required to make changes happen in real life. Merely listening to or observing these stastitics or attending these talks or conclaves will not suffice the purpose. The #FairStart campaign comes with a serious purpose of engaging the largest possible chunk of public in a debate and conversation for everyone to see they have a role to play to ensure every child can have a fair chance in life.
The 'Fair Start' film has been produced with the participation of a group of children who have joined bringing their own daily life into the film. The film has been made with a lot of love by the team and they hope everyone likes it. What they need in return is a small portion of help from everybody to get a fair start, life. Every child deserves a #FairStart. Abhishek De, Avant Garde Films feels emotionally that the #FairStart campaign was quite an oustanding and glorious project to work on for him, as well as the entire team at Avant Garde Films. The most memorable thing he remembers was working with such wonderful kids from 'Bigger Than Life' NGO. The children played cast and crew really well. For De, and he is sure for everyone who was a part of this prestigious project, it would be the best memorable experience and will be close to everybody's heart forever.
The crew included wonderful kids like Sahil, Cameraman, Suraj, Art Director, Shawn, Cameraman/ Director, and Belinda, Costume. The kids are just 14, 10, 15, and 13 respectively and have come from very diversified backgrounds. Suraj, for instance, has 3 sisters and 2 brothers. The only earning member in the family is their mother who works very hard selling corn. Suraj doesn't mind helping his mother at her work. His father is an alcoholic and fights at home. He wants to become a scientist.
Sahil has a mother and a sister. His father passed away 3 years back. He helps his uncle in laundry work. He goes to an English medium school and wants to become a cricketer when he grows up. Shawn has 6 siblings. His father has left home and mother keeps unwell. That is why he is not able to go to school as he has taken up the responsibility to work and earn money for his home. He loves playing football and yearns to go to school. Belinda is Shawn's younger sister. She goes to a municipal school. She is very shy and wants to become and office accountant. She works at home after school hours.
You must watch this inspiring movie below:
Please do share the movie, the cause #FairChance and contribute in whatever shape you can to build the children of our nation stronger. Let every child get a #FairChance at an appropriate stage of life.