Dear Friend, A third of India's citizens will not have a say in determining who forms our next government when the country goes to the polls in April and May this year. They live in every state, practice every religion, speak every language and come from every caste. The promises made to them 57 years ago at Independence remain unfulfilled. Their basic rights are violated millions of times each day. They cannot make large contributions to political parties or hire professional lobbyists. Nor do they have an association to represent their interests. They, India's children need us we who have a vote, we who determine policies and influence opinion - to speak up in their name. Today, 57 years after independence, the situation of the Indian child is a grim one: 60 million Indian children under the age of 6 live below the poverty line Every second child in the country is malnourished 2 million children in India die every year before reaching their first birthday Less than half of India's children between the age of 6 to 14 go to school The repetition of the tired cliché that children are our nation's assets is increasingly hypocritical. Indian children have been continually denied the rights guaranteed to them by our Constitution and by the United Nations Convention, which India is a signatory to. Over the years, successive governments have reduced their spending on education and health while areas like defense have received increasing attention. CRY as an independent non-government organisation working in the area of child rights for the last 25 years has developed a Children's Manifesto. We are urging political parties to focus on the issues affecting the rights of Indian children while fashioning their agendas. Being a peoples' movement, we urge all our partners, supporters, volunteers - anybody who wants to ensure that children in India have a real childhood to join us in this campaign. We encourage you to send this charter along with your personal appeal letter to the party leader of your choice.The Advocacy Kit has a list of party leaders addresses. We believe that together we can ensure that children become this nation's top most priority a place they rightfully deserve. We look forward to together making this world a better place for our children. With faith and goodwill, Ingrid Srinath Chief Executive
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