AGENCIES RELATED TO CHILD

WELFARE
INTRODUCTION

Child welfare includes providing services to socially,

economically, physically or mentally handicapped children
who are unable to avail the services provided by the
community. Child welfare services are preventive, promotive,
developmental and rehabilitative in nature. These services are
designed to meet the needs of most deprived and vulnerable
children like children of working mothers, destitute children
and handicapped children.
CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES

“An administrative unit is responsible for social work

concerned with the welfare and vocational training
of children is known as child welfare agency”.
Child welfare agencies may be working at national or
international level.
A) National Agencies
The important national agencies working for child welfare in
India are:
1. Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS)
2. Central Social Welfare Board
3. Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW)
4. All India Women’s Conference (AIWC)
1. Indian Red Cross Society
The Indian Red Cross Society was established in 1920 with the
aim of reducing human sufferings. The society has more than
700 branches across the country. The activities of IRCS are
• Disaster relief
• Promotion of voluntary blood donation
• Collection of blood for transfusion
• Distribution of items like milk powder, medicines, vitamins, and
other medical supplies to hospitals, dispensaries, maternal and
child welfare centres, schools and orphanages.
• A large no. Of maternity and child welfare centres are
run by Red Cross. There is a bureau of Maternity and
Child Welfare which provides technical advice and
financial aid to schemes for establishing model
maternity and child welfare centres.
• Red Cross conducts Home Nursing and First Aid
courses for women and school children.
 2. Central Social Welfare Board

This is a semi government, autonomous organization which was formed

by the Government of India in 1953. Its function are:
• Surveying the needs and importance of voluntary welfare agencies.
• Setting up voluntary social welfare agencies and promoting their
growth.
• Providing financial aid to deserving agencies and organizations.
• The Board has started family and child welfare services since 1968.
• The board plays an important role in craft training, social education,
educational classes, milk distribution, establishment and running of
Baalwadi and play centres.
 INDIAN COUNCIL FOR CHILD WELFARE (ICCW)

The Indian Council for Child Welfare was established in 1952. It is affiliated with

International Union for Child Welfare.

The ICCW is the single largest agency in the voluntary sector engaged in promoting

development services for children.

The ICCW initiates and undertakes services for child welfare and development in India.

It promotes enactment of legislation and reforms for the benefit of children.

The ICCW runs Baalwadis, Creches and Early childhood Education Centres all over

India so as to provide integrated services in health, nutrition, non-formal education and

recreation for physical, intellectual, emotional and social development of children.

 All India Women’s Conference (AIWC)

It was founded in 1927 to function as an organization

dedicated to the upliftment and betterment of women and

children. The AIWC works for a society based on principles of

social justice, integrity, equal rights and opportunities.

 CHILD RELIEF AND YOU (CRY)
Child Relief and You is an Indian Trust founded in 1979 for
the welfare of underprivileged children in India. It is guided
by the United Nations Chapter of Child Rights, 1989 that
states that every child has a right to survival, right to
protection from exploitation, abuse and neglect, right to
develop through education and right to participation with
respect for children’s views and freedom of expression.
Other national voluntary health agencies working in India but not
directly associated with children are:

• Tuberculosis Association of India

• Barat Sevak Samaj
• Hindu Kusht Nivaran Sangh
• Kasturba Memorial Fund
• Family Planning Association of India
• All India Blind Relief Society
• Saint John Ambulance Association
 B) International Agencies
The International Agencies working for Child Welfare are:
1. World Health Organization (WHO)
2. United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund
(UNICEF)
3. International Red Cross
4. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
1. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

It is a non-political, specialized health agency which

has its headquarters in Geneva. It was established on
7th April 1948, which is now celebrated as “World
Health Day”. On this day, every year a theme is
selected to focus attention on, throughout the year so
as to achieve the targets.
Objective

The main objectives of WHO is attainment of highest level of

health by people which is the fundamental right of every
human being without the distinguish of caste, creed, race,
religion, political and economic conditions. Its major task is to
combat diseases especially infectious diseases and to promote
general health of the people of the world.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The WHO has three main wings which are as follows:
1. World Health Assembly
This is the supreme or highest administrative body of WHO.
Its main function is formulation of international health
polices and programmes, review of previous year’s
activities, sanctioning of budget and election of members
for executive board.
2. Executive Board
It includes heath experts from member countries. The main
function of this board is to strengthen the decisions and
policies passed and approved by the World Health
Assembly.
3. Secretariat
It makes available technical and managerial help to member
countries in their national health development programmes.
Functions of WHO
• Directing and coordinating health programmes throughout the
world.
• Prevention and control of communicable and other specific
diseases.
• Epidemic warnings and surveillance work.
• International health statistics.
• Supporting research related to health problems.
• Collection and publication of health literature and information.
Activities of WHO In India
• Malaria eradication
• Control of TB and communicable diseases
• Health laboratory services
• Manufacture of vaccines
• Health statistics
• Public health administration
• Reproductive and child health
• Quality control of drugs
• Help in medical and nursing education
 United Nations International Children’s
Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
The UNICEF is a specialized agency of United Nations that was
established on 11th December 1946, to provide emergency health
care and food to children in the countries affected by World War II.
In 1953, it was renamed as United Nations Children’s Fund after
the end of emergency operations, but in short the name is UNICEF.
The headquarter of UNICEF is in New York.
UNICEF provides long term humanitarian and developmental
assistance to children and mothers in developing countries
 Working of UNICEF
Most of UNICEF’s work is in the field, with staff in over 190 countries.
More than 200 country offices carry out UNICEF’s mission through a
program developed with host governments. Seven regional offices
provide technical assistance to country offices as needed. UNICEF’s
supply division is based in Copenhagen and serves as the primary point
of distribution for essential items like vaccines, antiretroviral drugs for
children and mothers with HIV, nutritional supplements, emergency
shelters and educational supplies. A 36 member executive board
establishes policies, approves programmers and oversees administrative
and financial plans.
SERVICES OF UNICEF
1. Child Health
UNICEF has assisted in –
• Production of vaccines and sera
• Running environmental sanitation programme
• Primary health care to mothers and children
• Immunization programmes
• Family Health Services
• Safe Water and adequate sanitation
2. Nutrition
• Applied nutrition programme for community
development
• Agricultural extension
• School Health Service
• Helping dairy projects
• Prevention of nutritional deficiency diseases by
supplying Vitamin A, Iodized Salt, Iron and Folic
Acid supplements and Milk Powder
3. Education
• In collaboration with UNESCO, UNICEF aasists
India in expanding and improving teaching
science
• Strengthening science laboratories
• Supply of audio-visual aids to educational
institutions
• Providing books and educational material to
School of Nursing
4. Water Supply
• Promoting use of ground water
• Helping in digging wells in rural areas.
5. Social Welfare
• RCH Services
• Promoting CSSM programme
• Contributing to primary Health Care
 Recently, UNICEF has encouraged 4 strategies for
promoting Child Health called “GOBI”
G – Growth Chart : For monitoring growth and development in
children so that any deviation from the normal can be quickly
detected and corrected.
O – Oral Rehydration : For reducing mortality due to diarrhea
B – Breastfeeding : For providing wholesome meal to the infant
I – Immunization : For protecting under five children from six killer
diseases.
In brief, UNICEF is working for protection and development of child
health.
 3. International Red Cross
The red Cross is a non-political, non – governmental humanitarian
organization which is dedicated to the service of humanity in both
war and peace.
It was established by Henry Dunant in 1864.
The headquarter is in Geneva.
More than 90 countries are its members.
The main objective of Red Cross is to serve suffering humanity.
This organization also provides first aid, home nursing, health
education and conducts material and child welfare services.
 4. Food and Agricultural Organizational
(FAO)
The FAO was established in 1945. its head quarter is in
Rome.
The objectives of FAO are –
• To help nations improve living standard of citizens.
• To improve the nutritional status of all countries.
• To improve agriculture, fisheries and forestry output.
• To improve the status of rural populations.
To meet the nutritional needs to increasing population, the
FAO gives special attention to increase food production
 Other International Agencies, not directly
related with children are: -

• World Bank
• Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere (CARE)
• United States Agency for international Development
(USAID)
• United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA)
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• International Labor Organization