CRY – Child Rights and You
India has around 472 million, which is roughly 40 per cent of its total population. However, the government allotted only 3.16 per cent of the 2020 Union Budget to their welfare and government assistance. Moreover, the National Plan of Action for Children suggests that budgetary designations for kids ought to be 5 per cent of the nation’s GDP. This rate has not risen above 0.43 per cent in India since the year 2018. The children in this country have to deal with one of the most pathetic situations around the globe. India’s kids consequently fight sone of the most exceedingly awful conditions on the planet. This scenario is what inspired Rippan Kapur to initiate the NGO named CRY – Child Rights and You
Rippan Kapur, who was an Indian Airlines purser, began CRY (1) in 1979 along with six of his companions. An organisation that started with just 50 rupees has been able to help more than three million children as of today. Around 40 years later, CRY works with 102 grassroots NGOs across 19 states in India. CRY tends to kids’ basic needs by connecting with guardians, instructors, Anganwadi labourers etc. They have formed various networks with the regional and state-level governments to create a better world for these kids.
The most significant aim of CRY is to change the systems and practices at the grassroots level. They have been able to impact the public policy, thus leading to a chain reaction of improvement. In the last year alone, CRY has brought about positive changes in the lives of 6.8 lakh underprivileged kids in the country. They vaccinated 97 per cent of children under the age of one in their target areas. Their efforts were able to rescue 2,064 children from child labour, child marriage & child trafficking.
The beginning of CRY
The founder of CRY, Rippan Kapur, always longed to guarantee a more joyful childhood for India’s kids. He dreamed of seeing a day when no one could deny them basic rights like the right to life, assistance, security and development. Just like many others, Rippan too was vexed when he saw variations among privileged and oppressed kids. It broke his heart to see young ones begging in the streets and doing menial jobs. Therefore he decided to take care of this issue. He joined his school’s social help club, and read to the visually impaired, visited kids in medical clinics etc.
Rippan Kapur also held reading and practice classes for kids in the slums along with his friends. They also began an independent dispensary at a slum area that the group targeted. Such activities slowly attracted more volunteers, and he decided to build a bigger organisation. Therefore, Rippan established CRY as a foundation that could motivate more people to work for this cause. Rippan assumed that it could also inspire the other NGOs with the assets to make an enduring effect In the country.
Rippan and his friends did not intend to begin a grassroots-level group working shortly with and for oppressed kids. They chose rather to make CRY a connection among Indians who could give aids to this vision. It would also help a large number of committed individuals and associations at the grassroots level who are willing to work for the children. This strategy of building connections has decided CRY’s key options at each point. From the financial strategy to the idea of the relationship with other NGOs, CRY has always followed this policy. Despite the passing away of Rippan in 1994, CRY has made sure that his vision for the welfare oppressed kids is a reality today.
Awards and recognitions
All through the early, troublesome years, it was Rippan’s enthusiasm and conviction that drove CRY. He always believed that every one of us could, in our own little way, make a difference in the world. CRY partook in the ‘Voice Of India’ crusade, as an aspect of the National Alliance for the Fundamental Right to Education (NAFRE). They were able to propose to a protected correction to the legislature for necessary education to all kids free of cost. Because of the ‘Voice of India’ crusade, NAFRE contributed towards acquiring the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
The NGO has also won various awards over the year for their contributions. In 2003, CRY won the Indira Super Achiever Award. They also achieved the Fundraising Campaign Award in both 2011 and 2012. In 2009 and 2012, they won the Lakshya Award. Other honours that CRY accomplished are Most Trusted NGO (2018), One Of The Top 100 Nonprofits In The World (2018), Best Multi-Channel Campaign For A Cause (#YellowFellow 2018), ICAI CSR Award for Best CSR Project In Health & Education (2014), CFBP Jamnalal Bajaj Award For Fair Business Practices (2014).
Campaigns by CRY
Over the years, CRY has initiated various campaigns that helped to empower the voice of young children and their privileges. Some of them are:
- YellowFellow: #YellowFellow was a campaign by CRY that prompted the residents to bring issues to light for each kid’s entitlement to a fulfilling childhood. This campaign in 2018 has won various awards for its activities. It was a fun movement where the society was encouraged to show their support for India’s kids. They could turn into a #YellowFellow to show their support for the children. All they had to do was wear/utilise yellow socks in a remarkable, inventive or eccentric way. They also had to post a photograph of themselves via online media labelling CRY and showing the hashtag #YellowFellow. The mission had arrived at 1.7 crore individuals across India. It also saw extraordinary cooperation by 2300+ individuals, including 73 famous people and influencers.
- #LearnNotEarn: It was CRY’s mission for World Day Against Child Labor in 2018 and 2019. It helped to bring the issues of child labour in India to light. The mission urged people to guarantee that young ones can go to class rather than work.
- #ItsAGirlThing: CRY published the #ItsAGirlThing campaign on National Girl Child Day in 2019. It was an awareness mission intended to break the stigma related to young ladies. It asserted that young ladies also could do anything, whenever given a correct chance.
- #NotYet: #NotYet was CRY’s Women’s Day 2020 mission to expose the issue of child marriage. The mission featured how society compels young ladies in India to grasp womanhood by getting hitched at a youthful age. The custom forced them to let go of their childhoods. It sharpened the general population to approach and assist young ladies with finishing their studies and pursuing their ambitions.
