Understanding Childhood Poverty in Rajasthan : Emerging Issues and Strategies

Recent participatory poverty assessments around the globe clearly document that children are the most vulnerable groups in society as they have little power or influence over the social processes that govern their lives and little ability to protect themselves from abuse (Narayan, et.al. 2000). Childhood is a precious stage in a life-course and deprivation during this period can have long-term adverse impacts on the well being of children. Deprived children lack access to human development opportunities and face serious constraints in their human development (e.g. malnutrition and greater propensity to ill health etc). Their families and communities have little ability to protect and nurture them. This deprivation constitutes child poverty (Harper and Marcus, 1999)