Do we have the courage?

"Today is Children's Day. For India to have a future, our children deserve a present that is safer, healthier and more empowering," wrote Nobel Peace Prize winner, Kailash Satyarthi. "But we Indians seem to have a peculiar gift of transforming solemn celebratory occasions into sham rituals devoid of any real substance." In traveling 12,000 km across India he discovered, "Indian children are bubbling and bursting with dreams and aspirations. But we are failing them politically, economically, socially and legally." Not everyone. Many people, especially educated ones, the ones who have the means to educate and care for children, have decided not to have any. A survey by the National Sample Survey Organization in 2011 found that 42% of families in rural areas, with both parents working, belong to the DINK (double income no kids) group. Clearly, the cost and difficulties of bringing up children are overwhelming a lot of people. The irony is that these are the people who have the means to provide all the things Mr Satyarthi is demanding. BR Ambedkar was a genius, who was the mastermind behind India's constitution, despite facing discrimination for being low caste. Vidyasagar was a Brahmin who became a renowned scholar by studying under a streetlight. For most of us are ordinary people, with ordinary capabilities, these examples seem impossible. More inspiring are the examples of children, like Kinshu, who was rescued from child slavery and is now an engineer, Manisha, who was sold as a sex slave, and implored the President against exploitation of children, Ajay, son of an illiterate driver, who is now an enthusiastic student, and Ramesh, who was a slave but is now a gifted singer. Therein lies the problem. Too many children are being born to parents who cannot afford to look after them, and sell them into slavery. Although enrolment of children in schools is almost 100% large numbers drop out. Some because they have to work to supplement family income, some because they cannot cope with the curriculum and girls because of lack of clean toilets. Thousands of children in Delhi have failed their school exam and their future is unknown. Those who are unable to compete in the formal education system try to get any kind of degree, and then find that all the money has been wasted as their degrees are canceled by the Supreme Court. Not just in India, a study by Unesco found that children in developing countries are not learning enough after attending schools. And what is the point of getting an education if there are no jobs? No wonder, there are 75,000 beggars with Class XII degrees. It is the law of supply and demand. Reduce the supply of children and their value will jump. Else we will be reading similar article in 2050.